By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 21: Sarawak will use insights from Vienna’s Freudenau Hydropower Plant to strengthen its upcoming Limbang Lawas Local Plan 2035, integrating clean energy generation with river basin management and urban development.
According to a recent statement, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the Freudenau Hydropower Plant provides a vital reference point for Sarawak’s development planning, particularly in aligning massive energy infrastructure with broader spatial and environmental blueprints.
“This facility serves as a prime model of integrated water management. It clearly demonstrates how major power infrastructure can successfully coexist with urban environments while maintaining strict ecological safeguards.
“What makes this model successful is how it connects everything together. It proves that you can balance massive hydropower generation with river management, urban development, environmental protection and public awareness,” he said in a statement.
This initiative was highlighted during a working visit by a Sarawak government delegation, led by the Deputy Premier to the Austrian facility. The delegation was received by representatives from VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH, including Head of Hydro Consulting Wilfried Reich, who shared insights on the plant’s operational framework and its role in supporting Austria’s renewable energy grid.
He added that this experience will support Sarawak’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its renewable energy agenda under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which prioritizes sustainable growth alongside improved infrastructure and quality of life.
Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) noted that integrated planning approaches are increasingly important to ensure that development in northern Sarawak remains resilient, coordinated, and environmentally responsible.
Specifically, the insights gained will be applied to refine the land use planning, infrastructure readiness, environmental safeguards, and resource management within the Limbang Lawas Local Plan 2035.
He emphasized that the visit reinforces the State’s commitment to improving low-carbon development planning and strengthening climate resilience through the superior management of water resources and renewable energy systems. — DayakDaily
