By Ling Hui and Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, May 11: Residents of Long San, Ulu Baram can now enjoy 24-hour electricity supply with the launching of Sarawak’s first solar hybrid station at the village.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg when officiating at the handover of the Long San Solar Hybrid Station to Sarawak Energy Berhad at a hotel here today, said local residents, especially students, can now have undisrupted and smooth power supply.
“Ultimately, this facility’s launch will help bring about an elevated standard of living for the Long San community, providing people in the area with new economic opportunities as well as greater access and engagement with the outside world.
“The Sarawak government aims to share these benefits with all Sarawakians in rural areas, no matter how remote they may be. We believe that everybody deserves to thrive and succeed, regardless of their location,” he said.
Abang Johari said the Sarawak government would continue to close the gap between rural and urban communities by leveraging existing initiatives like the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) and Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (SARES) to provide affordable electricity.
He said he hoped that by 2025, all areas in Sarawak including rural and remote areas, have electricity coverage, including that from solar systems.
“It is the intention of the government, once we have the power. Next is to organise our economic activities that will benefit the people.
“With this infrastructure development that we are putting in place, it is our intention and desire by 2030, Sarawak will be a developed [region] with high-income economy,” he added.
According to the event press statement, the Long San Solar Hybrid Station will provide renewable energy to 104 households and 16 other properties including a church, a clinic, mission houses and a school.
The solar hybrid station worth RM10 million was donated by Shanghai Electric. The cost includes supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of 250kWp of solar PV panels, seven racks of batteries, and associated electronic converters and control systems.
It is also the first solar hybrid station in Sarawak to utilise advanced lithium-ion batteries and an energy management system to optimise renewable energy generation and reduce dependence on costly diesel fuel.
The project commenced in January 2021 and was completed in April 2022.
The signing and exchanging of the Long San Solar Hybrid Station handover certificate carried out between Shanghai Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Group vice president Yang Xing Hai and Sarawak Energy chief executive officer Datu Sharbini Suhaili, while witnessed by Abang Johari.
Also present were Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Sarawak Energy chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, Consul General of The Peoples’ Republic of China in Kuching His Excellency Xing Wei Ping, and Shanghai Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Group president Xiao Wei Hua. — DayakDaily
