Updated 230pm
Gradual restoration under way in Gozo after first cable repair completed
Enemalta has completed repair works on the first cable fault identified at Xewkija and has started gradually restoring electricity supply across parts of Gozo.
The network is being brought back online progressively, with supply returning to localities in stages as the process is completed safely.
Work is also advancing on the second cable fault identified along the cable route on Comino, where excavation is now under way.
Updated at 11am.
Enemalta teams worked through the night to repair two major cable faults affecting electricity supplies across Gozo, with crews continuing operations at both sites on Saturday morning.
At Xewkija, where the first fault was identified, the damaged section of underground cable has been excavated and specialist jointing works are under way.
Work is also progressing on the second fault, located along the cable route on Comino. Excavation equipment is being transported to the site by barge and will be deployed once it arrives.
Enemalta said repairing underground high-voltage cables is a complex process. Once a fault is located and the cable exposed, engineers must determine the extent of the damage and carry out moisture tests to ensure the cable’s insulation has not been compromised.
If the tests are satisfactory, the damaged section can be removed and replaced, followed by further testing before the cable is safely returned to service.
Additional generators and other resources are being deployed to provide temporary electricity supplies while repair works continue.
Enemalta acknowledged the disruption being experienced by residents, businesses and visitors, particularly amid the current heat, and said its priority remains restoring electricity supplies as quickly and safely as possible.
Further updates are expected as work on both faults progresses.
Earlier
Most of Gozo remains without electricity as Enemalta’s technical teams continue working to identify and repair faults affecting the island’s 33kV underground cable network. Several villages such as Għarb, Xagħra and Sannat remain without power, some for over 12 hours.
Enemalta has now identified the location of the second fault in Comino, close to its Distribution Centre. Equipment and resources are being mobilised to the site so that repair works can commence.
Meanwhile, works on the first fault, identified earlier in Xewkija, are continuing, with excavation works allowing technical teams to access the damaged cable and carry out the necessary repairs.
Generators have also been deployed to provide temporary electricity supply while the repairs are carried out.
Electricity supply across the affected areas continues to be managed temporarily. Customers may therefore experience periods when supply is restored and subsequently interrupted again, as the available electricity is distributed between different areas.
Enemalta said it will continue providing updates as the repair works progress.
Earlier
Almost all of Gozo is currently in darkness due to a fault on 2 of the 3 33kv cables on the network. In a social media post Enemalta explained that the faults were being detected and repairs were expected to commence soon.
Several readers contacted this news portal to complain about the cuts which began around 830pm on one of the hottest nights of the year.
According to well informed sources power will be restored after at least six hours due to the delicate nature of the repairs required.
This is a developing story.
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