KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak’s plan to export electricity to Singapore will not affect domestic supply as there is more than enough power for local consumption.
The assurance came from Utility and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi who clarified that the capped limit for electricity export is set at a maximum of 1,000 megawatts.
“In response to a comment on social media questioning Sarawak’s emphasis on exporting electricity to Singapore, I want to share that Sarawak indeed has enough electricity.
“There was a comment that asked, ‘Why is Sarawak so focused on exporting electricity to Singapore when we don’t have enough ourselves?’
“It’s not that we don’t have enough. We do have enough. The areas lacking power may include newly constructed homes and remote off-grid areas, but these are addressed through programmes,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after the handover ceremony of the Electrical Inspectorate Unit (EIU) Solar Photovoltaic System Design Certificate at DeTAR Putra UNIMAS today.
Julaihi asserted that electricity exported to Singapore is an additional source of income for the state which will help to bolster its economic development.
He said that the tariff for Singapore is substantially higher than what local consumers pay for.
“What we export to Singapore is more expensive than what we sell to domestic consumers because it is one of our sources of income.
“In recent years, we have also been exporting energy to Kalimantan, Indonesia, and it continues to this day,” he added.
He assured that the export of energy to Singapore only involves the supply of electricity, while the construction of the 700-kilometre-long subsea cable will be the responsibility of Singapore.
The construction of this cable, from Tondong, Sarawak, to Singapore, will pass through the Muri-Midai Corridor in Indonesian waters, with 20 per cent of the cable route in Malaysian waters.
However, he declined to disclose the value of the agreement as it is a commercial contract and negotiations are still ongoing.
“The tariff to Singapore is indeed high, but we cannot reveal it now because it’s a commercial negotiation between Sarawak and Singapore. It’s not happening immediately, and it will take time,” he said.
Julaihi added that Sarawak Energy Berhad has already conducted studies on the construction of the subsea cable which is progressing well.
“Building a 700-kilometre underwater cable will take a considerable amount of time, which is why we have the Post-Strategic Covid-19 Plan (PCDS) 2023 as our long-term plan,” he added.
CAPTION:
