Life in Malta · · 4 min read
Power cuts in Malta, in a game: Enemalta, compensation and solar
By The Malta Living team · Updated
Ask anyone who has lived through a hot Maltese summer about power cuts in Malta and you'll get a story: the fan stops, the router goes dark, and the whole street is out on the balconies checking whether it's just them. Malta Living is a free browser life sim set in real Malta, so we put power cuts in too. They're short, they're shared, and there's an Enemalta app (named after Malta's electricity company) on your phone to tell you what's going on.
Why a Malta game has power cuts
Because the islands have them too. The real Enemalta site has a live outage map, a "Report a power cut" form and customer care on 153, around the clock. Our in-game app borrows all three.
How power cuts work in Malta Living
About once a week, part of the island loses power. The game picks a moment in the afternoon or evening, Malta time, and waits until there are people around to notice, so a cut is something you live through with other players. It lasts somewhere between 8 and 15 minutes. Usually it hits a few areas; now and then it's island-wide.
The areas are the ones the Enemalta app shows: Valletta, Sliema and Gżira, St Julian's, Msida, Rabat and the middle, Mellieħa and the north, Żurrieq and the south, and Gozo. If your home is in one, the card says it plainly: "The lights flicker and go." A pill under the top bar shows roughly how long is left, as "about 8 min" rather than a ticking clock.
What stops working at home
Only the inside of your home goes dark. The map stays lit, and so do the billboards. At home, anything electric stops:
- the TV, the games console and the computer
- the microwave and the coffee machine
- the speakers and the ring light
- the fan, the A/C and the water dispenser
- an electric hob
The gas hob, the bed, books, the piano and the yoga mat still work, and the food in the fridge is fine. The shower runs cold, which costs a little Fun. A brand new player gets their first 30 minutes in peace.
When the power comes back, every clock in the flat says 00:00. Some cuts end in a surge, which can knock out an appliance; if you rent, your landlord pays for that repair.
The Enemalta app: outage map, reports and 153
Open the app and the first thing you see is the live outage map. When all is well it says "All areas have power". During an Enemalta outage, the areas that are out light up, and your own shows "Supply interrupted", with how long until it's back. From there you can:
- Report Power Cut: once a cut, with a reference like PC-00042. Your first report each month earns one ✨.
- See how many reports have come in from your area.
- Call 153, the 24/7 fault line. The app gently points out that reporting is quicker.
The Compensation tab shows what you've been paid this month and your past cuts. The moment a cut ends, every home in the area gets €10, or €25 when it was island-wide, whether you were online or not and whether you have solar or not. The money lands in your Bank with a message from Enemalta.
Solar panels and the ARMS bill
If you'd rather not feel the cuts at all, buy solar. Solar panels and a home battery cost €2,400, in the New and Climate tabs of Buy mode, the game's home decorator, or straight from the power cut's card. Nothing to place: they go on your roof at once and come with you when you move. With solar, a cut becomes a short note that your solar is keeping the lights on, the top bar says "On your battery", and a surge breaks nothing.
Solar also helps with the bills. Every four weeks an ARMS bill arrives for electricity and tap water, sized by your home, and solar panels halve it. Outside the game, ARMS runs the portal where households manage their water and electricity bills. If you're renting a flat in Sliema for the long haul, solar is a sensible thing to save for.
The Enemalta app sits with the rest of the apps on your in-game phone. New to the game? Read our Malta life simulator guide, or play Malta Living free in your browser.
Questions people ask
How long do power cuts last in Malta Living?
Between 8 and 15 minutes. The top bar shows roughly how long is left, and the Enemalta app says when your area should be back.
Do you get compensation for a power cut in Malta Living?
Yes. When a cut ends, every home in the area gets €10, or €25 if the cut was island-wide, paid into your Bank whether you were online or not.
Do solar panels stop power cuts in Malta Living?
Yes. Solar panels and a home battery cost €2,400 in Buy, and once they're on your roof a cut no longer touches your home. They also halve your ARMS bill.
How do you report a power cut to Enemalta?
For a real outage, the Enemalta website has a "Report a power cut" form and a live outage map, and customer care is on 153, 24/7. In the game, open the Enemalta app on your phone and tap Report Power Cut.
