By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 4: Solarvest Holdings Berhad and Press Metal Berhad are set to jointly develop a 100-megawatt alternating current (MWac) solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generating facility in Mukah, with an estimated investment of RM380 million.
The project will be undertaken through Mukah Solar Powerplant Sdn Bhd (MSPSB), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) jointly owned by Solarvest Asset Management (Borneo) Sdn Bhd, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Solarvest with a 60 per cent stake, and Press Metal Berhad, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad, holding the remaining 40 per cent.
According to a media release on Friday (Oct 3), MSPSB has entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Syarikat Sesco Berhad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sarawak Energy Berhad, to design, construct, own, operate and maintain the Mukah solar PV plant.
Scheduled to commence commercial operations on Nov 30, 2027, the plant will be financed primarily through bank facilities, with Solarvest’s equity portion funded internally.
Solarvest’s executive director and Group chief strategy officer, Leon Liew Chee Ing, said the Mukah solar PV plant marks a milestone in Sarawak’s renewable energy (RE) journey, expected to offset around 46,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually and support Malaysia’s shift toward a low-carbon economy.
He noted that the project aligns with Sarawak’s Energy Transition Strategy (SET-P) and Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which target 10GW of installed capacity by 2030, rising to 15GW by 2035, with renewables making up at least 60 per cent of the energy mix.
“Solarvest is proud to play a central role in delivering one of the State’s largest clean energy projects. We see the Mukah solar PV plant as an energy generation project and a catalyst for Sarawak to emerge as a regional RE hub in line with Malaysia’s net-zero aspirations,” he said.
Liew emphasised that this project further strengthens Solarvest’s position in the Sarawak EPCC market and gives momentum to its growing orderbook.
“We anticipate our orderbook to rise to new high of approximately RM3 billion by the end of the financial year, driven by more LSS5 and LSS5+ EPCC wins and additional projects in Borneo.
“More importantly, the Mukah solar PV plant reinforces our long-term commitment to Sarawak, where we aim to deepen our role as a trusted partner in driving clean energy development and supporting the state’s sustainable economic growth,” he said.
The development is expected to generate 1,500 to 2,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for local workers during both construction and operational phases, while also empowering rural communities to play a role in the clean energy transition.
Beyond this project, Solarvest is advancing Sarawak’s green economy through strategic investments and collaborations. In partnership with CENTEXS and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, the Group has launched the Green Energy Lab to equip over 1,000 Sarawakians with practical skills in solar and green energy technologies over five years starting in 2023, further solidifying its commitment to shaping Sarawak’s renewable energy landscape. — DayakDaily
