By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 8: The development of the Borneo Grid is paving the way for Sarawak to expand its electricity trade across the ASEAN region, building on growing cross-border connections with Kalimantan and Sabah, as well as planned future interconnections with Brunei Darussalam.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said momentum was building around the development of the Borneo Grid, with Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) already supplying electricity to Kalimantan, Indonesia, while the interconnection with Sabah has been realised.
He said Sarawak was also in discussions with Kalimantan and Brunei on further developing the Borneo Grid, which could eventually serve as a foundation for wider participation in the ASEAN Power Grid.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has discussed with us the possibility of region-wide interconnection across ASEAN, particularly in the southern sector.
“There are other segments from Laos to Thailand, through Thailand to Singapore, and we are ready to be connected to Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia,” he said as reported by Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
He was speaking at an appreciation dinner for Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili, who is due to retire on Oct 31, held at a leading hotel here on Wednesday (Oct 7).
Elaborating on the regional interconnection plans, Abang Johari said establishing a wider electricity network would enable energy to be traded as a cross-border commodity, creating new revenue opportunities for Sarawak.
He said Sarawak’s ability to supply electricity to regional markets could also strengthen its attractiveness as an investment destination, particularly for industries seeking reliable energy supplies, while creating more high-skilled and high-paying employment opportunities.
“If we become an energy supplier, we can attract high-quality investments that generate high-quality, high-paying jobs. At the same time, we have a revenue stream from the interconnection,” he said.
According to Abang Johari, Sarawak’s strategic position in the heart of ASEAN further strengthens its potential to play a larger role in regional energy trade.
The expansion of cross-border interconnections is also aligned with Sarawak’s plans to increase its electricity generation capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and 15GW by 2035, creating the potential for surplus power to be supplied to external markets. — DayakDaily
