Abang Johari (centre) witnesses Yang (left) handing over the Long San solar hybrid station certificate to Sharbini. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 11): The successful completion of the Long San solar hybrid in Ulu Baram will help bring about an elevated standard of living of the community there, said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He believed that the facility will provide the people in the area with new economic opportunities as well as greater access to and engagement with the outside world.
“While the domestic households of Long San were previously supplied by a diesel power station, this solar hybrid station will allow us to better accommodate the growing needs and increase the use of more sustainable renewable energy while reducing dependency on diesel fossil fuel.
“Essential services such as healthcare and education facilities will now be able to run more smoothly,” he said at the handover ceremony of the Long San off-grid solar project from Shanghai Electric to Sarawak Energy at Pullman Hotel here today.
Abang Johari pointed out that the Sarawak government had initiated the Projek Rakyat Accelerated Rural Electrification Masterplan to provide all rural communities with stable, reliable and affordable 24-hour electricity supply towards achieving full electrification by 2025.
He said this solar hybrid station is another example of the state government’s efforts in fulfilling the aspiration of providing electricity in the rural areas regardless of how difficult the challenges it faces.
He said the state government also aims to share these benefits with Sarawakians in all rural areas, no matter how remote they may be.
“We believe that everybody deserves to thrive and succeed, regardless of their location.
“As such, we will continue to take steps to close the gap between rural and urban communities – leveraging existing initiatives like the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) and Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (SARES) to provide affordable electricity, which are being driven by Sarawak Energy, to move closer towards realising this goal,” he said.
Abang Johari congratulated Sarawak Energy and Shanghai Electric for coming together to construct this solar hybrid station.
He said the contributions of both organisations to the Sarawak Government’s ongoing efforts to electrify the whole state are fully appreciated.
“I look forward to continued support from Sarawak Energy and potential opportunities for future collaboration with Shanghai Electric,” he said.
The handover ceremony between Shanghai Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Group vice president Yang Xing Hai, who is also Shanghai Electric Malaysia chairman, and Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer Datu Sharbini Suhaili, witnessed by Abang Johari.
The Long San solar hybrid station was donated by Shanghai Electric, covering the supply, delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning of 350kWp of solar PV panels, seven racks of batteries, and associated electronic converters and control systems.
The project commenced in January 2021 and was completed in April 2022.