The Rural Electrification Scheme involves extension of the grid system for rural households with road accessibility.
KUCHING (Sept 14): Critical challenges remain to complete the Northern Grid Extension project in Sarawak to electrify the northern region of the state, said Sarawak Energy.
In a statement, Sarawak Energy said the company and the state Ministry of Utilities has accelerated the pace of electrification in the state’s northern region by extending the main electricity grid, which will strengthen electricity supply to Limbang Division and cater to the power exchange interconnection with Sabah.
“However, critical challenges remain which continue to impede progress, especially in the area of land claims requiring the cooperation of all stakeholders. Immediate steps will be taken to address the challenges,” said the state-owned utility.
It said it attended an in-progress meeting last week chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Second Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, together with the Ministry of Utilities.
The Marudi junction 275/132/33kV substation.
“Consolidated strategies that would expedite electrification projects up north and addressing the challenges that have delayed major sections of the people’s project were discussed.”
Sarawak Energy said discussions were primarily on the Northern Grid Extension project and how its delay impacts stability of electricity supply in Limbang Division, and also the Project Rakyat initiatives regarding rural electrification for the region.
Awang Tengah was briefed on the Northern Grid Extension project status and he was informed of the challenges that Sarawak Energy was facing in meeting project completion scheduled by 2024.
A critical portion that is facing significant delay is the Bunut-Medamit 275kV, which is currently affected by land and wayleave issues.
“We need to prioritise the Northern Grid Extension Project. The people of Limbang and Lawas must be connected to the main electricity grid and benefit from a modernised electricity supply system that would only spur development in the region,” said Awang Tengah.
“Rest assured we are looking into the challenges and issues faced by Sarawak Energy in delivering this critical project and will provide the support they need to complete the Northern Grid Extension,” he added.
The deputy chief minister said these projects were meant for the people and therefore, they have to be done and completed.
The company said the delay was also depriving the people of Lawas and Limbang stable and reliable electricity supply, as both districts were now powered through standalone power stations still mainly dependent on ageing diesel generators with limited capacity.
“Both districts have been experiencing a spate of outages from load shedding due to generator breakdowns. Immediate mitigation actions include purchasing new generator sets and enhancing the protection system to prevent mass outages.”
The company said the issues will be permanently resolved once the Northern Grid Extension project comes online by the scheduled completion date of 2024.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Energy also said the challenges faced in the Northern Grid Extension project, coupled with the movement restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, were slowing down Rural Electrification last mile efforts to connect villages around Bunut, Batu Danau, Ulu Medamit, Ba Kelalan and Bario.
“Rural electricity coverage for Limbang Division currently stands at 94.5 per cent with more than 18,000 households already connected with 24-hour electricity.”
It said plans were already in place to electrify the remaining 1,071 households from 47 villages to completely cover Limbang Division.
Thirty-five villages situated along the road from Lawas to the Ba Kelalan highlands will be supplied in two stages, it added.
“The first involves the construction of a new 80km long 33KV distribution line from Lawas to Long Luping which will support the Rural Electrification Scheme for 15 villages of 281 households by end of 2022.
“The second stage involves the extension of this 33KV distribution line to Punang Kelalan in the Ba Kelalan highlands to connect 20 villages of 584 households by end 2023.”
A new 33/11kV substation is also planned as a new injection point for Ba Kelalan, it further said.
The Ministry of Utilities, in leading the rural electrification initiatives, has also rolled out the Additional and Late Applicant Fund (Alaf) programme to connect newer homes in villages with expanding households to the grid.
“Since the programme started in 2018, about 582 households in 133 villages in the Limbang Division have been connected and 115 households from 24 villages are in progress.”
Having said that, Awang Tengah called for closer collaboration between ministries, Resident’s and District offices, local service centres, and Sarawak Energy to identify those villagers in need of the Alaf assistance programme.
Also attending the meeting were Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Henry Sum Agong who is also Member of Parliament for Lawas; Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail who is also Bukit Kota assemblyman; and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang
Representing Sarawak Energy were Group CEO Datu Sharbini Suhaili, executive vice president for Project Delivery Pramod Kumar Karunakaran, vice president for Rural Electrification Dr Chen Shiun, vice president for Distribution Yusri Safri and general manager (Transmission Line Projects) Shawn Liu.