KUCHING: Confident of Sarawak’s dynamic investment outlook, Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB), through its wholly-owned subsidiary company Syarikat SESCO Bhd (SESCO), and Comtec Solar International (M) Sdn Bhd (Comtec) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) yesterday to further support operations and productions at the upcoming Kuching solar plant.
The PPA is for the supply of 15MW of power for the first phase of the solar manufacturing plant which is expected to be operational next month.
At a brief signing ceremony, SEB chief executive officer Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit believed the good number of investment coming in says a lot about the confidence investors have in Sarawak.
“The state has built its reputation in providing a conducive and stable surrounding for businesses and this will only strengthen its economy further.
“Gradually, we will see the reality of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and its benefits to Sarawakians.”
SEB will continue to play a key role in supporting the development in Sarawak by powering up the industries, he said.
“Through pursuing hydropower, we are confident that we will be able to meet the state’s energy demand by harnessing this sustainable and renewable energy source.”
Comtec’s managing director, Isabel Kow believed this partnership with SEB will realise Comtec’s establishment and production in the state.
“Comtec, including our chairman, John Zhang, is confident in its choice to invest in Sarawak given the state government has in place a comprehensive plan to develop the economy.”
Comtec is investing RM1.2 billion to set up a solar plant at Samajaya Free Industrial Zone and the plant is expected to produce an annual production capacity of 500MW for high efficiency solar wafer and 300MW of solar ingot for Phase 1.
Upon completion, the plant is expected to have a total production capacity for wafer and ingot of one gigawatt.
The Kuching plant, which was officially launched last year by former chief minister and current Governor of Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, is set to be one of the world’s largest N-type wafer plant.
The plant will also provide an estimated 1,300 direct and indirect job opportunities to Sarawakians.
During a press conference, Kow said, “We started piling works in August last year, and we’ve completed the first phase of the construction and since September, we have started our second phase of the construction.”
The development of the plant will be in three phases, she said, with the third phase to be developed in three to five years.
Signing for SEB for the PPA were Sjotveit and general manager for legal, Stephanie Gae Chin, while signing for Comtec were Kow and Utility Department manager Cheng Yuwei.
To date, SEB has signed 13 agreements with a total supply of 2,584MW. SEB’s projects by the middle of the next decade, residential, retail and commercial customers in Sarawak will require 2,000MW while SCORE customers will consume at least 6,000MW.
According to SEB, Sarawak is expected to see its GDP expand five-folds by 2013, with approximately 1.6 million jobs to be created when SCORE is fully operational.