[WATCH] Strong winds delay works on new Delimara power plant

Bad weather delays installation of the gas turbines at the Delimara power plant (Video by Ray Attard)

Strong winds once again postponed the assembly of two 36-tonne gas turbines at the new power plant in Delimara.

The installation of the turbines has been delayed by bad weather conditions but ElectroGas will be reinforcing its workforce to make up for lost time.

The turbines are expected top be installed as soon as weather conditions improve and the consortium is confident the project will be completed by June 2016.

Enemalta plc is continuing the implementation of its three-year Network Reinforcement Project with the final testing of the first of four new distribution centres, in Pembroke.

The €60 million Network Reinforcement Project, which is being financed through the Company’s own resources, includes the development of new distribution centres, major upgrades to other electricity distribution installations, the introduction of new automation technologies and the addition of several high voltage cable connections between different nodes of the network.   

“This new Distribution Centre forms part of an extensive project which Enemalta plc is implementing in its electricity distribution network, after several years. The project will consolidate electricity services to its customers in Malta and Gozo,” energy minister Konrad Mizzi said.

“Enemalta’s €60 million investment in the national electricity distribution network confirms the Government’s commitment to the energy sector, following the recent reduction in water and electricity tariffs for families and businesses.”

Enemalta executive chairman Frederick Azzopardi said the Enemalta would reach an added level of redundancy to reduce the risk of electricity supply disruptions to customers, and provide a quicker response to resolve natural faults, accidental or storm damage and other network disturbances. “At the same time, Enemalta is also preparing the necessary infrastructure to ascertain adequate network capacity and an optimal level of service in response to current and future demand. Ultimately, this investment will translate into a higher quality level of service to all our customers.”

The network reinforcement project includes the new 33 kV St Andrew’s Distribution Centre at Pembroke, currently in its final testing phases, which will further improve the quality of Enemalta’s electricity services in St Julian’s, Swieqi, Pembroke, Madliena, Paceville, Ibrag and Maghtab. It will receive electricity from the Kappara 132/33 kV Distribution Centre, through cables channelled through an underground tunnel forming part of the Company’s electricity distribution tunnel network.

The Distribution Centre is expected to be energised during the first quarter of 2016.  

The Manoel Island distribution centre started in 2005 but could not be completed and energised due to a number of difficulties. In 2014, Enemalta re-designed it, carried out the necessary structural works and started the installation of new equipment. This distribution centre will consolidate electricity supply services to a number of localities, including Msida, Ta’ Xbiex, Gzira, Manoel Island, Tignè, Sliema, and San Gwann.

Enemalta is currently completing the laying of cables through Gzira, Manoel Island and Sliema to supply the Manoel Island Distribution Centre from the Kappara Distribution Centre. Testing of its equipment is also underway, so that it can be commissioned and energised as soon as the cable works are completed.

The Marsa Power Station, which was shut down in March 2015, is not only an electricity generation plant, but also a crucial node in the national distribution network. Enemalta is developing a new 33 kV distribution centre close to the power station site so that it can replace the distribution equipment currently installed at the old power station site.

The 33 kV Marsa North Distribution Centre will pave the way for the dismantling of the power station equipment and for the eventual regeneration of this location. It is also designed to accommodate the requirements of the future expansion of the 132 kV network to further improve network reliability and flexibility.

The construction of the Marsa North Distribution Centre started in summer 2015 and is expected to be completed in the coming months. Equipment installation and cable laying works will proceed soon after.

The 33 kV Xewkija Distribution Centre will be Enemalta’s second distribution centre on the island of Gozo. It will reinforce the electricity network in this region and provide a higher level of redundancy to the existing 33 kV Qala Distribution Centre.

The new centre will be connected to the network on mainland Malta, and to the existing distribution centre at Qala. Whilst testing of the Distribution Centre’s equipment is well underway, final cable laying works in nearby roads will be completed shortly.

One of the two 11 kV switchgear rooms at the 132/33 kV Marsa South Distribution Centre was severely damaged in a fire on 12th August 2014. Soon after, Enemalta started working to repair the damage and upgrade this distribution centre’s structure. A new switchgear room was built and equipped with new the necessary infrastructure. The new switchgear was energised in September 2015. 

The existing Mellieha 33 kV Distribution Centre, which dates back to 1973, is being upgraded to provide the required capacity for this locality and neighbouring areas, and to improve network reliability through the use of new equipment. Enemalta started and completed the necessary structural works to accommodate the two new transformers and switchgear earlier this year. The new switchgear has already been installed and is currently being tested. Enemalta engineers and technicians will soon start the delicate transformer replacement operation as well. 

Enemalta is also implementing a major expansion of the Santa Venera 33 kV Distribution Centre to provide an improved level of service in Santa Venera, Mriehel, Birkirkara and Qormi, including the growing industrial zones in these areas.

The centre will be upgraded with new transformers and related switchgear equipment. The required structural works are currently in progress.

In addition to the commissioning of new distribution centres and the upgrading of existing ones, the Network Reinforcement Project also includes the development of a number of additional underground high voltage cable connections across different nodes of the network.

Enemalta imported over 35,000 m of 11 kV cables and 7,000 m of 33 kV cables to carry out these works. Most of these cables will be laid in the underground electricity distribution tunnels linking different parts of the network, to minimise the inconvenience of trenching at road level.

These new connections will ease the load on existing connections and reduce the risks of natural faults causing service disruptions. They will also contribute to reducing the duration of electricity supply interruptions to the Company’s customers when network repair or maintenance works are required.

Enemalta is also working to upgrade switchgear in over 1,300 11 kV substations across the Maltese Islands. Through these upgrades, the Company is laying the foundations for the eventual phasing in of the full automation of substations. This will facilitate remote switching operations and reduce the duration of electricity supply disruptions due to scheduled maintenance operations or due to network disturbances. These upgrades are also providing additional safety measures to engineers and technicians working in these substations.