Second interconnector set to be approved in January

A second interconnector is essential for meeting the forecasted increase in the island’s electricity demand, a case officer’s report concludes, recommending approval of the project.

The second interconnector, linking the Maghtab Terminal Station in Malta to Ragusa, Sicily, is slated for approval in the first meeting of the Planning Board in 2024, set to be held on January 18.

The case officer’s report refers to energy studies, indicating that towards the end of the next decade, Malta will find it “increasingly challenging” to meet its electricity demand in the absence of the second interconnector.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project concluded that the second interconnector is essential to ensure that Malta has enough energy to cater for its increased population, the electrification of its car fleet, and to sustain current levels of economic growth.

In its absence, Malta will “face challenges” in meeting its electricity demand during peak periods, the EIA warned.

The EIA states that the interconnector will provide Malta with a reliable and stable supply of energy, “reducing the risk of blackouts and ensuring the uninterrupted supply of electricity to households and businesses.”

The second interconnector will not only help meet increased demand but will also ramp up supply in cases of temporary damage to the existing interconnector cable link or the interruption of the LNG supply to domestic power generation plants. It is also considered essential for increasing locally generated electricity from renewables by providing a buffer to counterbalance the intermittency of renewable energy sources.

The second interconnector will take a different path from the existing interconnector to avoid issues leading to the failure of both cable connections at once in case of an accident. The proposed offshore route was selected because it is the shortest possible, does not interfere with any of the trawling zones in Maltese waters, and does not cross paths with the existing interconnector.

The Environmental Impact Assessment has concluded that the impact of the project on climate change depends on whether the energy bought from Europe is renewable or derived from fossil fuels. Despite contributing to lower emissions of locally produced greenhouse gases, the EIA warns that if electricity imported through the cable is derived from non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels, the second interconnector would still have a negative impact on climate change.

One major stumbling block for a reduction in overall greenhouse emissions is that Italy, the main country from which the electricity will be imported, “is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels for electricity generation.”

Enemalta statistics show that 86% of the energy imported from Italy in 2022 was derived from fossil fuels, which, in varying degrees, contribute to global warming. Moreover, while only 9% of the energy imported from the interconnector came from renewable energy sources, 12% came from coal-fired power stations.