KOTA KINABALU, March 5 — Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) is in the process of increasing the total electricity supply to the east coast of Sabah by about 80 megawatts (MW) by 2023.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said electricity supply in the east coast of Sabah was currently sufficient as energy needs were imported from the west coast of Sabah as well as power stations in the east coast which were estimated to generate almost 200MW.

"Electricity supply in the east coast of Sabah is actually sufficient but we want to increase the amount of electricity supply available at present,” he told reporters after the TNB chairman’s ‘engagement’ session with SESB staff at Wisma SESB here today.

Also present was SESB chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid. Mahdzir said for the purpose of increasing the electricity supply, SESB implemented various programmes, namely repairing 18MW gas turbines and installing them in Batu Sapi, Sandakan.

He said SESB also applied to the Energy Commission for the recommissioning of the Serudong power station in Tawau which is capable of supplying 33MW of electricity, plus the Libaran power station in Sandakan with a capacity of 30MW.

Meanwhile, commenting on the state government’s process of taking over SESB from TNB, he said it was a negotiation between the state government and the federal government, and TNB would abide by whatever decision is made.

TNB owns 80 per cent stake in SESB, while the rest is owned by the state government. — Bernama