12 February 2010
By JACK WONG
KUCHING: The electricity generated by the Bakun hydro-electric dam in the upper Rejang River basin in central Sarawak will be exported to Peninsular Malaysia as planned.
This is because the power requirements of the energy-intensive industries to be set up in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) will be met by other hydro dams to be built.
Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri George Chan Hong Nam said Sarawak Energy Bhd’s (SEB) Murum hydro dam project, currently under construction upstream of the Bakun dam, would generate 900MW when completed by 2013.
He said the Bakun dam would initially supply power to industries like aluminium smelters to be set up in SCORE until the proposed submarine cables to transmit power from Sarawak to the peninsula were ready.
“There is no need for concern,’’ said Chan, who is also state Industrial Development Minister, when asked about a StarBiz report yesterday regarding uncertainty being raised on whether Bakun power would be sold to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) for use in the peninsula as the electricity was needed to power the proposed aluminium smelters to be built in SCORE.
Doubts have also been raised on the fate of the proposed submarine cables if power from the Bakun dam is to be consumed by Sarawak’s energy-intensive industries.
The two aluminium smelter projects will be developed respectively by the joint ventures between GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and Aluminium Corp of China Ltd as well as between Rio Tinto Alcan and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.
The Bakun dam, which is developed by Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, has an installed capacity of 2,400MW.
It is expected to produce its first 300MW by the end of this year and to be fully operational by 2011.
The first of the proposed submarine cables, according to Sarawak Hiro managing director Zulkifle Osman recently, is only expected to be completed in 2016, and the second cable a year later.
Each of the cable will transmit 800MW.
Under a heads of agreement signed by SEB and TNB in 2008, SEB is expected to sell 3,000MW to TNB from 2017 to 2020, and export an additional 5,000MW to TNB from 2021 to 2030.
Sarawak has the potential to generate some 20,000MW through hydro dam projects by 2030.
SEB, which generates and distributes electricity in Sarawak, was taken private by the Sarawak government recently.
Chan said the development of the proposed hydro dams had been timed to meet the requirements of industries.
These state-owned dams, like Murum, will replace Bakun to supply energy to indusrties in SCORE once Bakun starts to export its electricity to the peninsula.
The proposed dams planned by SEB include in Baram (1,000MW) and Balleh (900MW) which will be built by 2015 and 2016 respectively.
The proposed Balleh dam is also located in the upper Rejang River basin.
SEB has plans to also develop more coal-powered power stations.
Source: The Star
Link: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/12/business/20100212073333&sec=business
Showing posts with label Underwater Transmission Cable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Underwater Transmission Cable. Show all posts
Friday, February 12, 2010
Sarawak gets first crack at Bakun power
Friday, 12 February 2010 16:33
MIRI – The initial power supplied by the Bakun hydroelectric project in Sarawak needs to be first used in the state before being expanded to Peninsular Malaysia, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui said today.
He said that since the project was expected to begin transmitting power by early next year, there would be a gap in terms of waiting for the completion of the undersea cable project to supply electricity from Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia.
2017 deadline Speaking to reporters here, he said the undersea cable project was expected to be completed by 2017 and until then, power from the Bakun project had to be used properly for the development in the state.
Chin was commenting on a recent concern over whether Bakun power would be sold to Tenaga Nasional Bhd for use in the peninsula as the electricity was needed to power two proposed aluminium smelters to be built in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.
"This smelter projects can take up the electricity that can be produced by the Bakun almost immediately when it is ready (to supply power)," he said.
The two smelter projects are those initiated by the joint ventures between GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and Aluminium Corp of China Ltd as well as between Rio Tinto Alcan and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.
Maximum power of 2,400MWChin said the Bakun hydroelectric project upon full completion would be able to generate about 2,400 megawatts of power through its four turbines.
However, the power generated from just one of the turbines would be sufficient for the initial operations of the two smelters, he said.Chin also said that his ministry would continue strategising with TNB and the Sarawak government in planning the power requirements in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah as well as to meet the needs of neighbouring countries.
Apart from Bakun, he said the Sarawak government had already planned to build several other major hydroelectric projects in the state to meet future energy needs.
Source: Malaysian Mirror
Link: http://www.malaysianmirror.com/homedetail/45-home/29955-sarawak-gets-first-crack-at-bakun-power
MIRI – The initial power supplied by the Bakun hydroelectric project in Sarawak needs to be first used in the state before being expanded to Peninsular Malaysia, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui said today.
He said that since the project was expected to begin transmitting power by early next year, there would be a gap in terms of waiting for the completion of the undersea cable project to supply electricity from Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia.
2017 deadline Speaking to reporters here, he said the undersea cable project was expected to be completed by 2017 and until then, power from the Bakun project had to be used properly for the development in the state.
Chin was commenting on a recent concern over whether Bakun power would be sold to Tenaga Nasional Bhd for use in the peninsula as the electricity was needed to power two proposed aluminium smelters to be built in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy.
"This smelter projects can take up the electricity that can be produced by the Bakun almost immediately when it is ready (to supply power)," he said.
The two smelter projects are those initiated by the joint ventures between GIIG Holdings Sdn Bhd and Aluminium Corp of China Ltd as well as between Rio Tinto Alcan and Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd.
Maximum power of 2,400MWChin said the Bakun hydroelectric project upon full completion would be able to generate about 2,400 megawatts of power through its four turbines.
However, the power generated from just one of the turbines would be sufficient for the initial operations of the two smelters, he said.Chin also said that his ministry would continue strategising with TNB and the Sarawak government in planning the power requirements in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah as well as to meet the needs of neighbouring countries.
Apart from Bakun, he said the Sarawak government had already planned to build several other major hydroelectric projects in the state to meet future energy needs.
Source: Malaysian Mirror
Link: http://www.malaysianmirror.com/homedetail/45-home/29955-sarawak-gets-first-crack-at-bakun-power
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