KUCHING: The Long San Solar Hybrid Station is another example of the state government’s efforts to provide rural communities with stable, reliable and affordable 24-hour electricity supply and achieve full electrification by 2025.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said while the domestic households of Long San were previously supplied by a diesel power station, the solar hybrid station would allow the government 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.
“Ultimately, this facility’s launch will help bring about an elevated standard of living for the Long San community, providing people in the area with new economic opportunities as well as greater access to and engagement with the outside world,” he said.
Abang Johari said this in his speech during the handover ceremony of Long San Off-Grid Solar Project between Shanghai Electric and Sarawak Energy at Pullman Hotel yesterday (Thursday).
Abang Johari said the Sarawak government aimed to share these benefits with Sarawakians in all rural as well as remote areas.
“We believe that everybody deserves to thrive and succeed, regardless of their locations. As such, we will continue to take steps to close the gap between the rural and urban communities, leveraging existing initiatives like the Rural Electrification Scheme (RES) and Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (SARES) to provide affordable electricity and to move closer towards realising this goal,” he said.
He then congratulated Sarawak Energy and Shanghai Electric for coming together to construct the solar hybrid station.
“I recognise and truly appreciate the hard work and dedication that both organisations demonstrated over these past years, overcoming challenges amidst the pandemic to deliver this important project.
“Your contributions to the Sarawak government’s ongoing efforts to electrify the whole state are fully appreciated,” he said.
The signing and exchanging of the Long San Solar Hybrid Station handover certificate was done between vice president for Shanghai Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Group, Yang Xing Hai, who is also the chairman of Shanghai Electric for Malaysia and Sarawak Energy, who was represented by its Group chief Executive officer, Datu Haji Sharbini Suhaili.
The signing and exchange was witnessed by Abang Johari.
The Long San Solar Hybrid Station was donated by Shanghai Electric, covering its supply, delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning of 350kWp of solar PV panels, 7 racks of batteries, and associated electronic converters and control systems.
The project commenced in January 2021 and was completed in April 2022.
