By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 6: The 275kV Sarawak-Sabah power interconnection which aims to increase the electricity supply system in Sabah will subsequently support the development agenda of the State via the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) five-year plan.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said his government welcomes the good initiative and collaboration in efforts to drive the State’s development as underlined in the SMJ five-year plan launched earlier this year.
“I believe the project, which commences in 2023, will bring a positive impact to the grid system in Sabah. This is because a stable electricity supply system is very important to facilitate the SMJ agenda which is centred on three main cores, namely agriculture, industrialisation and tourism.
“We do believe the collaboration will also assist in creating employment opportunities both in heavy and light industrial sectors in Sabah and boost the social economy particularly in the rural areas,” he said during the Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) Power Exchange Agreement and Interconnection Agreement virtual signing ceremony today.
Hajiji also mentioned that the Sabah government hopes the Agreement would become the early step to realise the common goal of both parties in connecting the utility infrastructure, apart from materialising the Borneo Grid Agenda and act as a catalyst for the wider Asean Power Grid.
The Power Exchange Agreement and Interconnection Agreement were signed on behalf of SESB by its chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid while SEB Group CEO Datuk Sharbini Suhaili signed on behalf of their subsidiary company, Sesco Sdn Bhd. The signings were witnessed by SESB company secretary Zunaidah Osman and Sesco CEO Lau Kim Swee.
The Agreements will pave the way for an initial export of 30MW for a term of 15 years via a 31km 275Kv double circuit transmission line which will run from Lawas in Sarawak to Mengalong in Sabah.
As approved by the Electricity Supply and Tariff Planning and Implementation Committee (JPPPET), the said interconnection is expected to commence by end of 2023, once the grid expansion under the SEB’s Northern Agenda has connected Miri to the northern towns of Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak.
Among those present during the ceremony were Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sarawak Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, SEB chairman Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, Sabah State Secretary Datuk Seri Panglima Safar Untong and SESB chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. – DayakDaily
