KUCHING, May 31: The recently concluded 2019 World Hydropower Congress in Paris, France, provided valuable takeaways, insights and a wealth of shared experiences at the global level.
Organised by International Hydropower Association (IHA) and attended by over 700 delegates from around the world, the biennial congress provided a platform to share experiences, showcasing examples of best practices and the guiding policies and strategies of the industry.
The 2019 session highlighted hydropower’s vital role in meeting global carbon reduction targets, building a clean energy future and ensuring responsible freshwater management.
Sarawak Energy Berhad, in a statement today, said it shared its journey in hydropower development for renewable and affordable energy for Sarawak and its neighbours.
Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom touched on the role of hydropower development in building a sustainable future for Sarawak in the congress’s opening plenary.
Management and young executives from Sarawak Energy participated as speakers in the congress focus sessions, presenting varied topics including hydropower safety, Sarawak Energy’s methodology in measuring greenhouse gas emission at its hydropower plants’ reservoirs, the group’s sustainability journey and humanising the digital transformation programme.
Sarawak Energy general manager (System Planning) Leslie Chai shared lessons learnt in delivering Sarawak’s first cross-border interconnection to enable the sharing of renewable resources with its neighbour.
Sarawak Energy’s Leading Women Network Executive Champion Aisah Eden, who is also Sarawak Energy’s executive vice president (Corporate Services), led a team to a networking luncheon for women in hydropower organised in conjunction with the congress organised by IHA in partnership with the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET).
Issues discussed included drivers in addressing gender imbalances in the hydropower sector and promoting gender-sensitive action around the energy transition to strengthen the entire industry.
Together with Dr Rundi were Assistant Minister for Rural Electricity Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Assistant Minister for Water Supply Datuk Liwan Lagang and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Utilities Dato Alice Jawan.
Other delegates from the energy developer and power utility included its chairman, Datuk Amar Abdul Hamed Sepawi, -executive vice-president (Project Delivery) Pramod Karunakaran and vice-president (Business Development) Nick Wright as well as chief financial officer Alexander Chin and vice-president (Health, Safety, Security and Environment) Marconi Madai.
At the Congress, World Wide Fund (WWF) Malaysia representative Belinda Lip and WWF International Dr Jian-hua Meng met with Dr Rundi and Abdul Hamed to present a WWF book titled ‘Connected and Flowing: A Renewable Future For Rivers, Climate And People’.
The congress included a study tour hosted by Electricite de France (EDF) to the 160MW KEMBS Hydropower Plant, first commissioned in 1932. It is also the first run-of-river energy production site of this scale to be built after Niagara Falls. — DayakDaily
