Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1055420
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 NOVEMBER 2018 JAMES DEBONO A total of 2,053 households and 924 businesses had their electricity supply disconnect- ed after failing to pay pending bills in 2017. This represented a decrease in the number of disconnec- tions which peaked in 2015 and 2016 when over 11,700 consumers had their electric- ity disconnected, up from just 488 in 2012 and 570 in 2013. This emerges from statistics presented by the Regulator for Energy and Water Services (REWS) in a report presented to the European Commission on Malta's adherence to EU directives on common rules for the internal market in electricity. Any customer failing to pay a bill within 45 days from the date of issue of the bill receives a reminder request- ing the settlement of the out- standing amounts within 10 days. In the event of non-pay- ment, the customer receives a final notice to settle amounts due within seven days other- wise the supply could be sus- pended. According to the report the actual suspension of supply depends on the amount due and the length of time for which the debt has been due. Customers who are unable to pay their bills are afforded the facility to enter into an agreement with Enemalta to pay their bill by installments, so as to avoid disconnection. In general, the reactivation of supply after disconnec- tion due to nonpayment takes place within 24 hours of the settlement of debts. The report also reveals that in 2017, 20,488 consumers – which amount to 8.3% of all households – qualified for an energy benefit. These include families with low incomes, households having a fam- ily member with a disability, families on social assistance or special unemployment ben- efit, and persons on a pension or a carer's pension. The per- centage of consumers receiv- ing the benefit dropped from 11% in 2014 to 8% in 2015 and has remained stable in the next years. The report also confirms a spike in power cuts in 2017. On average in 2017 elec- tricity consumers lost a total 418 minutes (7 hours) to un- planned power cuts up from just 101 minutes in 2016 and 173 minutes in 2015. The re- port attributes this increase to a number of failures in the Italy-Malta interconnection, attributed to weather related issues on the Sicilian side. Report forecasts spike in energy demand The report forecasts that en- ergy demand is set to increase from the current 2,615,261 MegaWatt Hours to 3,200,000 MWh in 2025, a substantial increase of 22%. The peak system demand is expected to reach 540 MW by 2020, to around 600 MW by 2025 and 630 MW by 2030. Malta currently has a capac- ity of 588 MW derived from power stations producing en- ergy derived from fossil fu- els. So far the highest peak of energy demand ever was re- corded on 10 August 2018 at 3pm when the demand peaked at 488 MW – the highest peak on record. Meanwhile a total of 3290.05 GigaWatt hours of LNG was imported into Malta in 2017, 97% of which was imported from outside the European Union. The demand for LNG is also forecasted to grow from 12,000 MWh per day in 2020 to 13,000 MWh per day in 2030. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt NEWS era.org.mt Environment & Resources Authority Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa. NOTICE TO CLIENTS The Authority would like to no fy its clients and the public that its offices will be closed on the 27th November and 28th November. Instead, the Authority will be rendering the following services from its offices at Hexagon House, Spencer Hill, Marsa : CITES OFFICE: Thursday 29th November from 10am un l 12 noon. In case of perishable goods, live specimens, pharmaceu cals and customs inspec ons applicants can call 24 hours in advance on 2292 3500 and select Op on 1. Clearances for emergency movements of animals and plants, including from the EU: Clients are to inform on phone number 22923500 and select Op on 3, and to email relevant transport details on ceu.nature@era.org.mt well in advance, including: flight/ vessel number and departure point; place and me of landing; and importer's details. APPLICATIONS FOR WASTE CARRIERS: Thursday 29th November from 9am un l 12 noon. PAYMENTS FOR ANNEX VII: Thursday 29th from 9am un l 12 noon. WASTE SHIPMENTS (MOVEMENT ONLY): Tuesday 27th November and Wednesday 28th November between 06:30am and 08:00am. The Authority can be contacted as usual on telephone number: 22923500. Number of Non-residential Total households 2012 - - 488 2013 - - 570 2014 2,327 1,237 3,564 2015 7,162 4,538 11,700 2016 5,695 6,082 11,777 2017 2,043 924 2,967 3,000 had electricity disconnected in 2017 Report shows that disconnections decreased from over 11,700 in 2016 to 3,000 in 2017