By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 23: Sarawak is prioritising the development of four river basins in the northern region with an estimated combined capacity of 1.5 gigawatts (GW) in the first phase under its cascading dam projects, which are slated for completion by 2030.
In a TVS news report, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, said the projects form part of the Sarawak’s wider plan to increase energy generation to 10,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030.
“For the first phase, we are focusing on four rivers in the north with an estimated capacity of around 1.5 gigawatts.
“These projects must be completed by 2030 so that we can boost energy generation to 10,000 megawatts by that year,” he told reporters after officiating the Jerayawara Solar 2025 programme organised by the Malaysian Photovoltaic Sustainable Energy Association (MPSEA) on behalf of Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, on Monday (Sept 22).
Dr Hazland, however, declined to disclose the exact rivers involved in the first phase as the project is still at the planning stage.
Earlier reports revealed that the Sarawak government had identified 12 river basins in Kapit and northern Sarawak with potential for cascading hydropower projects.
These include Sungai Tutoh, Sungai Baram, Sungai Tinjar (Miri), Sungai Gaat, Sungai Belaga, Sungai Danum, Sungai Balui and Sungai Katibas (Kapit), as well as Sungai Trusan, Sungai Lawas and Sungai Limbang.
Abang Johari had previously stressed in his keynote address at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris that cascading dam development is part of Sarawak’s strategy to ensure at least 60 per cent of its energy mix remains renewable by 2030, while also embedding clean energy into the State’s economic framework.
He also disclosed that feasibility studies are in their final stages, with assessments pointing to several potential sites capable of generating up to 3 gigawatts (GW) of combined hydropower capacity. — DayakDaily
