2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Seven projects to deliver more efficient, stable power to Sabah, Labuan
KOTA KINABALU: Over 60,000 consumers in Sabah and Labuan will benefit from a more stable and efficient power supply with the implementation of seven energy projects valued at RM260.7million.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, said the projects under his ministry involve substation upgrades, new grid line connections, and safety monitoring systems.
"(These are) designed to ensure reliable electricity supply across areas from Tanjung Aru to Ranau, Batu Sapi, and Labuan," he said during the handover ceremony for the seven completed energy sector projects at the Kota Kinabalu Main Intake Substation (PMU KKBU) here.
The PMU KKBU project, initiated under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP), now benefits around 11,452 users in Tanjung Aru and Kota Kinabalu city.
It includes a building housing 132kV and 33kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and 132/33/11kV transformers, replacing the outdated 66/11kV system with no replacement parts available.
The project also supports a new 33kV cable connection to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, thus improving supply reliability to this strategic location.
Other completed projects include the 132kV Labuan–Sipitang Interconnection which was completed on Sept 2 last year, but awaiting the completion of Sarawak Energy's portion by September 2025.
"Once operational, it will enable the import of 30MW of power from Sarawak, with a grid capacity of up to 500MW, making it part of the Asean Power Grid linking Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, and the Philippines," said Fadillah.
Another one is the RM31.3 million 33/11kV Ranau Main Distribution Substation (PPU) that was completed March last year and connects Ranau to the Sabah grid and reduces dependency on an 18MW diesel power plant, benefiting 15,620 users while cutting diesel subsidies.
Others are the RM30.02 million Batu Sapi PPU to address old system issues; RM42 million Protection Online Monitoring System with the installation of 15 km submarine fibre optic cables from Kampung Lambidan, Menumbok to Tanjung Aru and Labuan.
The RM50.011 million PMU at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) which has been operational since Aug 12 last year, raised load capacity from 93.51MW to 131.60MW, lowered SAIDI index, and reinforced 33kV distribution in Sulaman and Alamesra, benefiting over 5,000 users including UMS Hospital.
The RM6.3 million 11kV System Enhancement in Labuan, which was also completed in Nov last year, upgraded protection systems at PPU Rancha-Rancha, boosting infrastructure to support new developments in Labuan.
