BINTULU, Dec 5, 2014: : Sarawak Energy Berhad’s Murum
Hydro Electric Project (HEP) has reached a key milestone, with the completion
of the first power generating turbine unit's reliability run and is now ready
for operation.
The first of four turbine units that had undergone
rigorous testing to ready Murum HEP, Sarawak’s largest hydroelectric project,
for full commissioning by second quarter of next year.
A ceremony was held at the HEP powerhouse yesterday to
signify the official handing over of the first turbine unit to Sarawak Energy
from contractor Three Gorges Development Company (M) Sdn Bhd.
TGDC general manager Zhao Jian Qiang symbolically handed over the firs turbine to SEB chairman Hamed Sepawi at the Murum Powerhouse.
Hamed,accompanied by the SEB’s senior management team led by its senior vice president
for project execution Einar Kilde and vice president for hydro, Polycarp Wong and Zhao, officiated at the commissioning of the first power generating turbine.
In his speech, Hamed said: “With the full commissioning of
Murum HEP by next year, our generation mix will be about 75% hydro and 25%
thermal.
"This will lead to a more secure, sustainable and
affordable energy to power the State’s development agenda,” he said.
He also said that SEB is on track to grow the output and
consumption of power in the state by more than eight folds, from approximately
5000 GWh in 2009 to approximately 40 000 GWh per year in 2020.
Picture: The spillway of Murum HEP
“Sarawak will eventually be ranked among the energy
giants Norway, Iceland and Canada to become one of the most energy rich regions
in the world measured per capita. The commissioning of the Murum dam is
therefore only the ‘end of the beginning’”, he added.\
Wong, speaking on behalf of SEB, said with the full commissioning of Murum HEP,
Sarawak’s energy supply would reach about 4500MW to supply the energy committed
in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) Phase One.
“Murum HEP development also marks a major step in SEB’s
sustainable development journey through our strategic participation as an
International Hydro Power Association (IHA) sustainability partner.
"This is an area that we want to further focus on
especially in the way we develop our hydropower projects with a long term
perspective of continued improvement.
"The IHA Sustainability Protocol that SEB is guided
by covers a wide spectrum of sustainability topics such as social, environment,
safety and governance.
"Through our early work here, I look forward to the
day when SEB becomes a global benchmark for sustainability in hydropower
development,” he said.
Wong expressed his appreciation to the teams from Sarawak
Energy’s Project Execution, Resettlement and Corporate Social Responsibility
Departments who had worked hard to implement the Murum project despite many
challenges.
“Through their commitment, dedication and hard work, they
have directly contributed to the development of our state and economy.”
Murum HEP is the second hydroelectric project belonging
to Sarawak Energy following the Batang Ai HEP which was commissioned in 1984.
The Murum HEP is innovative in its design with the
tallest steeped chute spillway in the world. This spillway is currently
undergoing testing and due to the dam’s uniqueness the study is of interest to
many, including dam designers, contractors and engineers.
The main dam is a roller compacted concrete (RCC) dam
with a maximum height above the foundation of 141m. It has a crest elevation of
546 masl. Impoundment of the reservoir started on September 21, 2013 and has
reached supply level.
Each of the main turbine units has a maximum generating
capacity of 236MW. The dam’s powerhouse houses the 4x 236MW vertical Francis
turbines which will allow a total installed capacity of 944MW.
Other works in progress at Murum includes the Ecological
Power Station. The main purpose of the ecological power station is to ensure
that the ecosystem of the upper reach of Murum River remains active.
It houses 2x3.7 MW horizontal Francis turbines, with a
total installed capacity of 7.4 MW.
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