Malta energy minister hails interconnector with Sicily
Kelvin Ross
Posted on: 2 July 2026
Miriam Dalli says interconnector with Italian island delivered by French firm Nexans will boost Malta’s energy security and resilience.
Malta’s energy minister Miriam Dalli has said installation work on the island’s second interconnector could begin later this year.
French cable company Nexans has taken a significant step forward in delivering the high-voltage subsea cable for an interconnector.
The company has completed the manufacturing and necessary testing of the cable, opening the door for its installation, which Dalli said could be as soon as October.
She added that it would be carried out by Nexans’ cable-laying vessel Electra.
It will be the second link between the islands and will deliver an approximately 122-km, 225MW HVAC interconnection.
Subsea cable
Nexans finished manufacturing of the high-voltage subsea cable at its US facility in Charleston, following an extensive production process carried out over one year.
Dalli said it marked “a major step forward” in the delivery of the second interconnector.
“The successful manufacturing and testing of the subsea cable, together with the completion of preparatory offshore works, is another important step that helps us advance to the installation phase.”
She said the interconnector was “a strategic investment aimed at enhancing Malta’s electricity interconnection with mainland Europe, increasing resilience, supporting the integration of renewable energy, and contributing to the country’s long-term energy transition goals”.
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The manufacturing process included several specialised stages, beginning with the production of the fibre optic cables in Norway and the drawing of the copper conductors to the required shape and size.
After the insulation and sheath extrusion processes, the three cable phases were then assembled together with the fibre optic cables and fillers to form the complete subsea cable.
Armouring process
This was followed by the armouring process, which provides the cable with the structural integrity and mechanical protection required for subsea installation and long-term operation.
The cable was produced in sections of approximately 10km each, which were subsequently jointed within the factory to form two main cable lengths. One of these lengths also includes the spare cable, which will be stored in Malta for future contingency and repair purposes.
Joseph Vassallo of government owned energy infrastructure firm Interconnect Malta said the interconnector would “strengthen Malta’s energy security”.
The first Malta–Sicily link was also delivered by Nexans and commissioned by Maltese utility Enemalta in 2015.
