SIBU: Negotiations are underway for Sarawak to export its power to Sabah and Brunei, according to Public Utilities Minister Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi.
“Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) is ready to export to Sabah after 2020 and negotiation is still on-going for firm commitment from Sabah SESB.
“Power supply to Brunei planned for 2019 is subject to on-going commercial negotiation with Brunei.
“However, there is no immediate plan to export power to Peninsular Malaysia or Singapore,” he said in a telephone conversation yesterday.
When speaking at a Gawai Dayak dinner organised by SEB’s Sports and Recreation Club in Kuching last Saturday, he said the bigger picture would be to develop the energy sector into the state’s number one export.
He said the state had the necessary elements to produce enough power for export to not only West Kalimantan in Indonesia but Sabah, Brunei and Peninsular Malaysia.
Hence, producing energy for export is not a pipe dream because SEB has already started to export 50MW of electricity to West Kalimantan this year, added Dr Rundi.
Asked if Sarawak government is also encouraging the setting up of more biomass power plants like Mukah Biomass Power Plant to generate green energy, he said such embedded biomass generation connected to the grid is encouraged and based on ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ basis.
He also said he had mapped out ideas on how to bring electricity and water supplies to the rural areas across the state.
His other priorities are to resolve ‘sick’ rural electrification system (RES) and water projects, he added.