Plan to supply power to S'pore will not affect domestic needs - Sarawak Minister

KOTA SAMARAHAN - Sarawak's long-term plan to supply electricity to Singapore for commerical needs will not affect the state's domestic supply needs at all, said Sarawak Utility and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi.

He said Sarawak will also place conditions among them much higher power tariff rates for Singapore to ensure its long-term plan is a profitable economic source for the state and Malaysia.

"The areas without electricity in the state involve new housing areas and off-the-grid areas. The Sarawak government, via the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) is actively providing electricity in such areas.

"Do not be worried, this power exchange agreement (Sarawak-Singapore) does not impact our domestic usage because our electricity supply is sufficient, even excessive," he said in a press conference after witnessing the handover of the accreditation letter for the Electrical Inspectorate Unit’s (EIU) Solar Photovoltaic System design course at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) today.

Earlier in his speech, Julaihi said the construction of the 700-kilometre undersea cables in Malaysia and Indonesia’s waters for electricity supply would be fully borne by Singapore.

As of May, the state's total available generation capacity of 5,745 megawatts was sufficient to cover the current demand of 4,627 megawatts, he added.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had previously said the state agreed to supply electricity to Singapore with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts through undersea cables with negotiations being at an advanced stage, adding that apart from Singapore, Sarawak Energy Bhd had also held negotiations with Brunei to export power. - BERNAMA