Jinħareġ tender għad-disinn preliminari tat-tielet interconnector
Il-Gvern għal darb’oħra jikkonferma l-impenn tiegħu biex isaħħaħ in-netwerk tal-elettriku f’Malta filwaqt li jilħaq il-miri klimatiċi tiegħu
Wara li fil-preżentazzjoni tal-viżjoni għall-enerġija, Malta’s Energy Shift: A Sustainable Power Transition ġie mħabbar l-proġett tat-tielet interkonnessjoni (IC3), Interconnect Malta ħarġet tender għad-disinn preliminari tal-proġett.
L-għan tal-proġett huwa li jsaħħaħ is-sigurtà tal-provvista tal-gżejjer Maltin billi jiddiversifika l-punt ta’ konnessjoni ta’ Malta man-netwerk Ewropew. Bħall-ewwel u t-tieni interconnectors, din l-interkonnessjoni l-ġdida se topera b’mod bi-directional. Madankollu, se tkun konnessa b’vultaġġ ogħla minn dik attwali ta’ 220kV tal-IC1 u l-IC2. Din il-konnessjoni, ta’ 380kV, se tgħaqqad direttament lil Malta mal-backbone tan-netwerk nazzjonali Taljan, u tipprovdi lil Malta aċċess aktar dirett għan-netwerk tal-elettriku Ewropew.
L-IC3 se jkun ukoll proġett innovattiv għal Malta, peress li se jkun l-ewwel interconnector li juża t-teknoloġija High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) għat-trasmissjoni tal-elettriku.
“Dawn il-proġetti narawhom bħala l-pedament tat-transizzjoni ta’ Malta lejn ekonomija sostenibbli. Aktar interkonnettività, permezz ta’ punt ta’ konnessjoni diversifikat, tippermetti iktar importazzjoni ta’ elettriku minn sorsi rinnovabbli, tnaqqas l-emissjonijiet ta’ gassijiet serra, filwaqt li tippermetti li proġetti kbar ta’ rinnovabbli offshore li qed naraw lil hinn mit-tnax-il mil nawtiku isiru realtà mingħajr ma jinħolqu problemi ta’ bilanċ fil-grid nazzjonali. Dawn il-proġetti huma wkoll konformi mal-viżjoni tal-Gvern għas-settur tal-enerġija fejn qed naraw kif dan is-settur ser ikun iktar nadif, diversifikat u affordabbli,” qalet il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Indafa Pubblika, Miriam Dalli.
ICM diġà ħadet passi konkreti fl-iżvilupp ta’ dan il-proġett, li qed jiġi ddisinjat bħala interkonnessjoni b’kapaċità li tiġi estiża fil-futur, inizjalment topera b’200MW, bl-għażla li tespandi għal 400MW. Il-proġett, immexxi minn Interconnect Malta, ġie inkluż ukoll fil-ENTSO‑E Ten‑Year Network Development Plan 2026, li jimmarka pass importanti lejn l-akkwist tal-istatus ta’ Project of Common Interest u l-aċċess għal finanzjament mill-UE.
“Il-ħruġ ta’ dan it-tender jimmarka pass importanti ’l quddiem għat-tielet interconnector, billi ser tingħata bidu il-fażi ta’ basic engineering li jfassal l-istadju tad-disinn u tal-permessi. Il-proġett se joħloq interkonnessjoni moderna u flessibbli li tibda minn 200MW bil-possibbiltà li tkun tista’ tiżdied għal 400MW, billi tuża l-aqwa teknoloġiji disponibbli u rotot sikuri biex niżguraw affidabbiltà u effiċjenza. B’mod ġenerali, dan l-interconnector ser isaħħaħ il-provvista tal-enerġija ta’ Malta u jappoġġja l-enerġija rinnovabbli,” qal Inġ. Ismail D’Amato, Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Interconnect Malta.
Basic engineering tender issued for Malta’s third interconnector
Government reaffirms its commitment towards strengthening the Maltese electrical network whilst addressing its climatic targets
Following the announcement of the third interconnection project (IC3) during the unveiling of the energy vision document, Malta’s Energy Shift: A Sustainable Power Transition, Interconnect Malta has issued a tender for the project’s basic engineering.
The aim of the project is to strengthen the island’s security of supply by diversifying the country’s connection point with the European network. Similar to the first and second interconnectors, this new interconnection will operate in a bi-directional mode. However, it will be connected at a higher voltage of 380kV, compared to the 220kV of IC1 and IC2. This 380kV connection will link directly to Italy’s national grid backbone, providing Malta with more direct access to the European mainland electricity network.
IC3 will also be an innovative project for Malta, as it will be the first interconnector to use High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology for electricity exchange.
“We see these projects as the foundation of Malta’s transition towards a carbon-neutral economy. Increased interconnectivity, through a diversified connection point, allows for increased importation of electricity sourced from renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while allowing for local large-scale offshore renewable projects to be connected to Malta’s electricity grid without creating instability and balancing issues. These projects are also in line with this Government’s vision for a diversified, clean and affordable power sector,” said Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness, Miriam Dalli.
ICM has already taken concrete steps in the development of this project, which is being designed as a scalable interconnection, initially operating at 200MW with the option to expand to 400 MW. The project, led by Interconnect Malta, has also been included in the 2026 ENTSO‑E Ten‑Year Network Development Plan, marking an important step toward securing Project of Common Interest status and access to EU funding.
“The issuing of this tender marks a key step forward for Malta’s third electricity interconnector, launching the basic engineering phase that will guide the project’s design and permitting stages. The project will create a modern, flexible link starting at 200MW with the possibility to expand to 400MW, using the best available technologies and routes to ensure reliability and efficiency. Overall, the interconnector will strengthen Malta’s energy supply and support renewable energy,” Inġ. Ismail D’Amato, CEO of Interconnect Malta, said.