VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s second electricity interconnector with Sicily has reached a crucial stage, with 65% of its land cable manufacturing completed, the Maltese government confirmed.
The 122 million project will connect Ragusa in southern Sicily to Maghtab on Malta’s east coast through 21 kilometres of land cable and 99 kilometres of subsea cable. When completed, the 225MW high-voltage AC line will provide nearly one-third of Malta’s peak summer demand, according to Interconnect Malta CEO Ismail D’Amato. “This interconnector represents our commitment to making Malta’s energy sector more resilient and sustainable,” Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said during a visit to works in Sicily. She described the project as central to Malta’s long-term energy strategy and its push for cleaner power generation.
Co-financed by the EU’s 2021-2027 European Regional Development Fund, the new cable will double Malta’s electricity interconnection capacity with Europe. Italian contractors SELT have completed 15% of the land-based works in Sicily, while French group Nexans is producing the subsea cable in Charleston, USA. The submarine line will be buried up to 175 metres below sea level and will include fibre optic strands for enhanced monitoring. Once operational by late 2026, the project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 13.5 million tonnes and deliver Ç712 million in long-term economic benefits.
European Funds Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi called it Malta’s largest ERDF-funded project, saying it would guarantee “a secure, resilient and sustainable energy future”. The new interconnector follows the first Malta-Sicily link built in 2015. That 200MW cable ended Malta’s energy isolation but will be switched off temporarily next year for upgrades needed to connect the second line.
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