Jibda x-xogħol tat-tħaffir taħt l-art sabiex it-tieni interconnector tal-elettriku jgħaddi mill-art għal taħt il-baħar
- Bdew ix-xogħlijiet tal-horizontal directional drilling (HDD) f’Malta, sabiex jinħoloq passaġġ taħt l-art fil-forma ta’ mina li se tgħaqqad il-parti minn fejn se jitpoġġa l-cable fuq l-art ma’ taħt il-baħar
- Aktar tard din is-sena se jsir l-istess proċess fi Sqallija, filwaqt li x-xogħlijiet relatati mal-parti fuq l-art u taħt il-baħar qed jiġu kkoordinati
Bdew ix-xogħlijiet taħt il-baħar tat-tieni interconnector, hekk kif il-kumpanija Norveġiża Nexans bdiet twettaq ix-xogħlijiet tal-horizontal directional drilling (HDD) f’pajjiżna.
Din il-fażi importanti se toħloq il-konnessjoni taħt l-art fil-forma ta’ mina biex tgħaqqad il-parti fuq l-art ma’ dik ta’ taħt il-baħar tal-proġett, biex il-cable jkun jista’ jgħaddi mill-art għal taħt il-baħar mingħajr ma jħalli impatt fuq il-kosta.
“Dan il-proġett jinvolvi l-manifattura ta’ cable speċjalizzat u jinvolvi firxa wiesgħa ta’ xogħlijiet u attivitajiet kumplessi ta’ inġinerija, ippjanar metikoluż u koordinazzjoni kontinwa bejn diversi entitajiet. Dan kollu huwa kruċjali għat-twettiq tal-proġett fit-totalità tiegħu sabiex nibqgħu naħdmu fuq din l-infrastruttura ta’ importanza nazzjonali,” qalet il-Ministru għall-Enerġija Miriam Dalli.
“Il-bini tat-tieni Interconnector, proġett ta’ madwar €300 miljun mill-ERDF, huwa meqjus bħala wieħed importanti ħafna, ta’ impatt strateġiku fuq il-gżejjer Maltin li se jagħti sigurtà fejn tidħol il-provvista tal-enerġija, kif ukoll se jżomm il-prezzijiet tal-enerġija stabbli, biex il-familji u n-negozji Maltin jibqgħu jgawdu minn kontijiet affordabbli,” saħaq il-Ministru għall-Fondi Ewropej Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
Il-horizontal directional drilling (HDD) hija teknoloġija speċjalizzata li tippermetti li jsir tħaffir ikkontrollat taħt l-art f’dak il-każ minn tarf fuq l-art sa tarf ieħor taħt il-baħar. Dan il-metodu jelimina l-ħtieġa ta’ skavar u trinek fiż-żona tax-xatt tal-kosta u jiżgura li l-cable jgħaddi b’mod sigur u protett bejn l-art u l-baħar.
Aktar tard din is-sena, l-istess proċess se jitwettaq ukoll fi Sqallija. Dawn l-iżviluppi eventwalment se jiffurmaw il-punt ta’ konnessjoni tal-parti ta’ fuq l-art ma’ dik ta’ taħt il-baħar u se jippermettu li xogħlijiet marbuta maż-żewġ kuntratti tal-proġett jingħaqdu flimkien. Dawn ix-xogħlijiet qed jiġu kkoordinati b’reqqa minn Interconnect Malta flimkien mal-konsulenti tekniċi tagħha, Rina Consulting S.p.A., b’kollaborazzjoni sħiħa bejn il-partijiet kollha involuti.
Proċess bħal dan jirrikjedi ħidma estensiva ta’ ppjanar, disinn ta’ inġinerija u tħejjija teknika. Il-kundizzjonijiet ġeoloġiċi jiġu kkonfermati waqt il-proċess tat-tħaffir. Karatteristiċi naturali bħat-tipoloġija u xquq fil-blat jew bidliet fil-formazzjoni ġeoloġika jistgħu joħolqu sfidi tekniċi li jeħtieġu monitoraġġ kontinwu u livell għoli ta’ kompetenza.
Ladarba jitlestew ix-xogħlijiet tal-HDD kemm f’Malta kif ukoll fi Sqallija, ikun jista’ jibda t-tqegħid tal-cable taħt il-baħar, li huwa ppjanat li jibda minn Malta fid-direzzjoni lejn l-Italja. Fiż-żewġt itruf, il-cable ta’ taħt il-baħar imbagħad jingħaqad mal-cable fuq l-art permezz ta’ transition joint li jitwettaq minn tekniċi speċjalizzati.
“Wieħed mill-aktar aspetti notevoli ta’ dan il-proġett huwa li, minkejja d-daqs u l-kumplessità tiegħu, l-infrastruttura li qed tinbena se tibqa’ kważi kollha ma tidhirx. It-teknoloġija tal-lum tippermetti li jitwettqu proġetti infrastrutturali fuq skala kbira b’impatt minimu fuq il-pajsaġġ u l-ambjent. Madankollu, dan jirrikjedi studji estensivi, koordinazzjoni effettiva, ippjanar dettaljat u implimentazzjoni bir-reqqa,” spjega l-Maniġer ta’ Interconnect Malta, il-Perit Reuben Sammut.
Meta jitlesta, il-proġett tat-tieni konnessjoni tal-elettriku bejn Malta u Sqallija se jirdoppja l-kapaċità ta’ Malta li tkun konnessa man-netwerk Ewropew tal-elettriku. Fl-istess ħin, se jsaħħaħ is-sigurtà tal-provvista tal-elettriku u jiffaċilita integrazzjoni akbar tal-enerġija rinnovabbli fis-sistema elettrika tal-pajjiż.
Dan l-investiment ta’ €300 miljun ġie approvat għall-finanzjament mill-ERDF taħt il-prijorità “Promozzjoni tat-tranżizzjoni enerġetika nadifa u ġusta”, u jikkontribwixxi direttament għal sistemi enerġetiċi intelliġenti u stabbli. Il-proġett ġie rikonoxxut bħala “Operazzjoni ta’ Importanza Strateġika” fil-Programm 2021–2027. L-ammont tal-finanzjament Ewropew allokat hu ta’ €261 miljun.
‘Underground drilling kicks off to link second interconnector from land to sea
- Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) works have started in Malta, creating the underground gateway between the onshore and offshore sections of the second interconnector
- The same process will be carried out in Sicily later this year, with the onshore and offshore contracts being closely coordinated
Works related to the offshore section of the second interconnector commenced, with Nexans starting horizontal directional drilling works in Malta.
This important phase will create the underground connection between the onshore and offshore sections of the project, allowing the high-voltage cable to pass from land to sea without impacting the coastal area.
“As one can appreciate, this project involved the manufacturing of a custom-made cable and a wide range of complex engineering activities, extensive planning and close coordination between different parties. These are all essential steps in delivering infrastructure of national importance,” Energy Minister Miriam Dalli stated.
“The construction of the second interconnector, a project of around €300 million, funded through the ERDF, is considered a project of major strategic importance for the Maltese Islands. It will strengthen security of energy supply, while also helping to keep energy prices stable so that Maltese families and businesses can continue to benefit from affordable bills,” said Minister for European Funds Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a specialised trenchless technology that enables a controlled bore to be drilled from an onshore entry point to an offshore exit point beneath the seabed. This method avoids open excavation along the coastline, while ensuring a safe and protected transition for the cable between land and sea.
The horizontal directional drilling process will also be repeated later this year on the Sicilian side. These works represent a key interface between the onshore and offshore contracts, effectively creating the gateway through which both sections of the project will be connected. The works are being carefully coordinated by Interconnect Malta and their technical consultants, Rina Consulting S.p.A., with full collaboration between all parties involved.
The process involves extensive planning, engineering and preparation. The drilling process itself will provide the clearest confirmation of the actual geological conditions below the surface. Natural features such as cavities, fissures or changes in rock formation can present technical challenges, making careful monitoring and expert execution essential.
Once HDD works in both countries are completed, the subsea cable can effectively be laid, and the process is expected to commence from Malta going towards Italy. The submarine cable will then be joined together with the land cable through a transition joint at both ends that will be executed by specialised jointers.
“One of the most remarkable aspects of this project is that works of this scale will ultimately deliver critical national infrastructure while remaining almost entirely hidden from view. Thanks to today’s technology, major infrastructure can be delivered with minimal impact on the surrounding landscape and the environment. This, however, requires significant studies, coordination, detailed planning and careful execution,” ICM Manager Perit Reuben Sammut explained.
Once completed, the Second Malta–Sicily Interconnector will double Malta’s electricity interconnection capacity with the European grid. It will also strengthen Malta’s security of supply and support the further integration of renewable energy within the island’s electricity system.
This €300 million investment has been approved for ERDF funding under the priority “Promoting a clean and just energy transition” and contributes directly to smart and stable energy systems. The project has been recognised as an “Operation of Strategic Importance” in the 2021–2027 Programme, with €261 million allocated in European funding.