Businesses were also entitled to an ex-gratia payment equivalent to a month’s consumption. This was calculated according to the actual average consumption of that account in June, July, and August of the previous year.

In his comment, Grech further said he wrote to the chairman of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) asking for a meeting with social partners to discuss and come up with a way forward.

He stated that last year the government offered the MCESD an investment as a solution to the problem but this investment was declined. Grech then called for Dalli’s resignation again, saying that Enemalta spent less on the energy infrastructure than what was assigned to it.

Grech continued to state that this crisis is due to the government’s lack of infrastructural investment over the past years and highlighted other issues like polluted bays and waste collection.

In its reply to Grech’s statement, the Ministry stated that Dalli has already met with MCESD and will continue to meet with the entity to discuss solutions, including the “largest investment in electricity distribution in our country”.

“The social partners were, still are and will continue to be updated with the investment being made in the distribution system of our country, in meetings which are also attended by the technicians.

“This is because responsibility demands that we continue to invest in better infrastructure for today and for the future, as this government is doing.”

The response continued to refer to this year’s addition of 82 kilometres of underground cables and around 32 new substations that have been built. It also stated that work as been done on 36 transformers in substations while 22 switchgears were replaced in different substations as part of an “intensive plan”.

In the first phase of investment, work was carried out in the areas of Wied il-Għajn, Kalkara, Bormla, Birgu, Żurrieq, Ħal Safi, Ħal Kirkop, Ħal Far, Ħad Dingli, Ħaz-Zebbuġ and Ħal Luqa , Rabat, Mosta and Naxxar in Malta.

In Gozo, works were carried out in Qala, Sannat, Nadur, Xlendi and part of Marsalforn.

In the second phase of the works that has already started, work will be carried out from Marsa to Siġġiewi and Żebbuġ, Żabbar and Ricasoli, San Ġwann, San Điljan and l’Gzira, Sliema and Attard, Birkirkara, Hamrun and Santa Venera, Fgura, Mellieħa, Bugibba and Qawra in Malta.

While in Gozo, work continued in Marsalforn and Xagħra, and reinforcement work will be done in the areas of Għarb, KerĽem, Għasri, San Lawrenz and Rabat, Gozo.

Between 2022 and 2023, 80 new substations, 18km of Medium Voltage Reinforcements, 44 switchgear replacements, 22 uprate transformers and 145 feeders were built among others.

With these there was an extension of the distribution centers in Marsaskala, Mrieħel and Ħal-Tarxien. As part of another phase of investment in distribution, new distribution centers will be built in Siġġiewi and Naxxar.

Despite these additions and works, Maltese households and businesses are still suffering from power cuts.

Do you think these cheques are enough to meet the damages caused by the power cuts?