Continuation

Reading comments about the extensive power failure in The Times online, this quote stood out for me among the partisan dross.
“This is the third time I have had to run the generator during the day this year (I do not run it at night so as not to disturb others).”
I think the gentleman was British. If only some of that consideration could rub off here. I was sure that I would not have got any sleep on Tuesday night had the power not been restored.
A large generator, that I think was erected sans MEPA permit, stands not far from my bedroom and I am sure the owner would not have had any scruples in running his all night.
What was really unnerving on Tuesday was the inability to get any kind of information from Enemalta. The phone was permanently engaged. I finally got some information from The Independent newsroom at about 17.00.
A press release had been issued, but there was still no indication of what time the power would come back on.
It eventually was restored at about 20.00. Nine and a half hours since the stoppage, except for a short resurgence between 15.30 and 16.00.
Enemalta’s chairman, Alex Tranter gave a rather mixed message yesterday, while insisting Enemalta has enough power generation capacity to meet demand, he said that the boiler that tripped starting a domino effect on the remaining machines that could not take the load.
Boilers, he said, “had a self protective system shutting them off in case of overloads.”
So if there is a problem with overloads the capacity is not meeting demand.
“This was demand which the corporation could not meet because four turbines - two at Marsa and two at Enemalta, were not in use yesterday.
Those at Marsa had been undergoing maintenance while those at Delimara were getting a major overhaul.”said Mr Tranter.
I am no engineer but a major overhaul at one station and maintenance at another at the same time seems like a serious lack of judgement to me.
It was refreshing to read Marco Cremona’s contribution. An engineer, he had this to say: “Enemalta's Generation Plan 2006-2013 says that Enemalta will run out of spare generation capacity by Summer 2009. No investment has been made in increasing generation capacity since the report was prepared even though the report strongly recommended that Enemalta install a new power station by end 2008. So whom is Enemalta's chairman trying to kid when he says that we have enough generation capacity to meet demand? In saying so, he is contradicting Enemalta's own conclusions.
I very much suspect that Government's obstinence in retaining the high electricity tariffs is derived from the knowledge that there would not have been enough generation capacity to meet demand this summer.
Increasing the tariffs sky high resulted in a shock factor that reduced demand so that we may just make it through the peak. They simply do not have the courage to say that they messed up.
It may just work this year but not the next, and the one after ... especially with some mega-projects like Smart City coming on line soon.
Cowboy tactics, nothing else... and playing with fire.”
I believe, but I cannot say I read through all the comments, that Marco Cremona was the only person to hit the nail on the head.
With high density buildings mushrooming all over the island and little being done with regard to the infrastructure, it is no wonder that the corporation could not guarantee that yesterday's blackout would not happen again.