Cerisologo (eighth left) symbolically hands over the project to a headman.
KAPIT (Sept 19): Some 1,000 longhouse residents from eight longhouses in Nanga Merit, Batang Rajang are now receiving 24-hour electricity supply generated by solar panels.
Kapit District Officer Cerisologo Sabut said phase four of the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) project was completed at the end of last year.
“Sares is funded by the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication.
“This Sares system provides 3,000 watts of renewable electricity per day, sufficient to power up a typical rural household’s basic needs such as lights, fans, television, small refrigerator, and rice cooker,” he said when officiating at the project’s handover from Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to the headmen of the longhouses recently.
He pointed out having reliable electricity supply has meant the communities now do not need to travel to town as frequently as they previously did when they relied on diesel for their generator sets.
Cerisologo also advised the longhouse village security and development committees to ensure the solar energy projects are properly cared and maintained for the benefit of their communities.
The longhouses were Rumah Sampai Achoh, Rumah Mero Anthony, Rumah Ama, Rumah Sylvester, Rumah Pilai, Rumah Budit, Rumah Asan, and Rumah Lasang.