The new Sarawak Energy Berhad 133kV EHV Substation (2.5 hectares) located at ParkCity Eastwood will be in operation soon.
MIRI: In an ongoing effort to create more beneficial things for the local community, a substation that is more centralised and closer to the city centre will begin functioning in the next few months.
Samling Group was approached by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and obliged by way of donation of approximately 6.16 acres of land located at ParkCity Eastwood for the new Eastwood EHV (extra-high voltage) 133kV substation, as an investment into the future of Miri for generations to come.
Pantai Bayu Indah (PBI) Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Chee Siew Pin said SEB aimed to install new transmission capacity by constructing a more centralised substation closer to the city centre and Samling Group is doing its part for the benefit of the local community.
PBI is the master developer of Marina ParkCity and ParkCity Eastwood and a subsidiary of Samling Group of Companies.
“This is part of improving the reliability and quality of energy supply to the central area. The current energy demands are supported via two intake substations, namely Tudan EHV far to the north and Marudi junction EHV to the far south of Miri city. At their current location, these existing substations are not effectively situated to provide the most reliable energy supply to the central area.
“This new Eastwood EHV Substation will be one of the main injection points directly supplying to the central area. It is expected that with the completion of this substation, the reliability and quality of energy supply will be improved significantly,” Chee said during a ‘Zoom’ meeting yesterday.
Chee added that the facility will reduce disruptions to the grid and the additional capacity will cater for the increased future energy demands as Miri continues to grow and expand.
He further explained that the project has been affected by delays as critical sections of the route have been blockaded by illegal trespassers and this has led to disruptions in the permanent installation and connection of the substation to the existing power grid.
In order to mitigate further delays to this project and ensure the community are able to
benefit from this new energy supply, the developer Perdana ParkCity (a subsidiary of Samling Group of Companies) has lodged multiple police reports in a concerted effort to vacate the illegal claimants from the area, as well as brought the issue before the courts.
In 2014, the illegal claimants filed a writ of summons and statement of claim against the developer. In 2016, the state High Court granted the developer’s application to strike out the illegal trespasser’s claim and their claim was subsequently dismissed. In 2017, the High Court decision was brought before the Court of Appeal by the claimants and was subsequently dismissed.
In 2018, the illegal claimants finally brought the case before the Federal Court of Malaysia which unanimously dismissed the case in January this year where the title rights of the developer were upheld and with no further avenue for appeal left to the illegal claimants and the way was paved to finally complete the connection of the new substation to the Miri city grid.
The new Eastwood EHV 133kV substation is expected to cater for the increasing future energy demand of the city and the connection will reduce power disruptions and add stability to the energy grid.
The developer is hopeful that the community will grow and continue to benefit from the improved energy supply as everyone is one step closer to making Miri a first-class, connected and thriving city.