By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 16: The Bakun Hydroelectric Dam is set to receive the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS) certification this year, making it the largest dam in Southeast Asia to attain the prestigious global recognition.
According to a TVS news report, Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Sharbini Suhaili said the dam meets the Renewable Energy Requirements (RE10), a standard widely recognised by industry players for sustainable hydroelectric development.
“The dam has also been nominated for the 2025 Blue Planet Prize by the International Hydropower Association, which recognises excellence in sustainable hydroelectric development,” he said during the first panel session of the 6th International Energy Week (IEW) 2025 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday (July 15).
Sharbini highlighted that Bakun Dam, with a capacity of 2,520 megawatts (MW), is the largest in Southeast Asia, followed by Murum Dam (944MW), and Baleh Dam (1,285MW), which is expected to be commissioned by 2029 and fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2030.
“At present, Bakun and Murum function as Sarawak’s baseload generators, supplying electricity 24 hours a day throughout the year,” he said.
He added that all of Sarawak Energy’s hydroelectric projects are guided by standards set by the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) and the Hydropower Sustainability Standard to ensure safe, efficient, and sustainable operations.
“Sarawak’s journey in hydropower development began with the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Plant, which was inaugurated in 1985 and has now reached its 40-year milestone,” Sharbini noted. — DayakDaily
