KUCHING: The Sarawak government is intensifying efforts to ensure reliable and affordable electricity supply for 99 percent of households in the state by 2020 towards full electrification before 2025.
Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said his ministry was working closely with Sarawak Energy to accelerate delivery of rural electrification projects to achieve this ambition.
“We have a strong strategy and an efficient delivery mechanism to ensure 99 percent of rural households in Sarawak will have electricity at the end of 2020 from the current rate of 92 percent,” he said when launching the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) at Rumah Stia in Suai, Niah.
Rural electricity coverage increased to 92 percent presently from 87 percent in 2016. Full electricity coverage is expected to be achieved before 2025.
“Under the Sarawak Accelerated Rural Electrification Master Plan, we are intensifying efforts to provide electricity to longhouses and villages that are still without this basic need,” Dr Rundi assured.
RES involves extending grid lines into the interior. Apart from RES, other strategies under the Sarawak Accelerated Rural Electrification Master Plan to provide reliable and affordable electricity to rural areas include Rural Power Supply Scheme (RPSS) and Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares).
The RES project at Rumah Stia was completed and energised in March last year, benefitting more than 100 residents of the 15-door longhouse. Previously, the longhouse residents were dependent on diesel-powered generator sets.
