Sarawak focusing on hydropower as clean and sustainable source of energy:SEB

KUCHING, May 21, 2014: Chief executive officer of Sarawak Energy Berhad Torstein Dale Sjotviet has insisted on the important role of hydropower projects in Sarawak in harnessing the potential of the state's renewable energy and driving the state towards socio-economic prosperity.

Speaking yesterday at the World Aluminium Congress in Hong Kong, he said that Sarawak is focusing on hydropower as a clean and sustainable source of energy.

In addition to the 2,400MW Bakun plant  which was commissioned in 2011 and the 944MW Murum project that will produce power for the first time later this year, Sarawak Energy is working on more hydropower projects, which are at various stages of feasibility studies or pre-engineerings. 

"Collectively, the future plants would transform Sarawak into an energy powerhouse in the ASEAN region.

"The development of these projects will only commence after Sarawak Energy has completed the necessary social and environmental impact assessments," Sjotviet said.

He added Sarawak Energy’s projections indicate that by the middle of the next decade, residential, retail and commercial customers in Sarawak will require 2,000 MW, while customers of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) will consume at least 6,000 MW.

"The State’s GDP is expected to expand five-fold by 2030, with approximately 1.6 million jobs to be created when the development corridor is fully operational," he said.

Sjotviet also said that in in recent years, Sarawak Energy has embarked upon a programme of massive expansion in support of SCORE to lift the output of electricity from around 5,000 gigawatt hours in 2010 to 25,000 gigawatt hours by 2016.

"The essence of SCORE is to leverage Sarawak’s sustainable strategic advantage in bulk hydropower at globally competitive prices to promote investment, growth, jobs and development for the people of Sarawak," Sjotviet said.

According to him, the massive investments in SCORE would generate new employment in semi-skilled and skilled occupations and providing opportunities for the people to achieve a higher incomes and better standards of living. 

“To date our strategy has been highly successful.  Sarawak Energy has signed thirteen agreements with customers for a total of 2560 megawatts (MW).

"In addition to customers from manganese, ferroalloys and silicon, Sarawak Energy is also supplying power to aluminium producer Press Metal,” Sjotviet said.

He added that energy intensive industries from around the world are investing in Sarawak as it "offers abundant, stable and competitively priced electricity, an excellent location, in the centre of ASEAN and in close proximity to India and China, a young and educated workforce and a capable, stable and pro-development State government."

“As other ASEAN countries grapple to provide the new power generation required for the growing middle class, Sarawak provides a strong example of the role that the aluminium industry can play in lifting large efficient generation projects like the Bakun hydroelectric project.

"Specifically, the global aluminium industry can make a real contribution to regional development in ASEAN by taking bulk power at prices required to lift a new generation,’’ he said.