LUBOK ANTU, June 20 — The Batang Ai dam area has the potential of producing 2000 megawatts (MW) of energy using solar technology based on the calculation of 60 per cent of its 8,500 total hectarage, Premier Tan Abang Johari Openg said today.

He said the Batang Ai floating solar farm, which will generate 50 MW of electricity, is only covering 86ha or 2 per cent of 8,500ha.

"So there is a vast potential for us to generate over 2,000 MW of renewable energy from Batang Ai alone,” he told reporters after a working visit to Batang Ai floating solar farm here.

He said according to Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) Batang Ai will not only be producing electricity through hydro but also from solar.

He said the construction of a floating solar farm has reached 30 per cent completion and is scheduled for commissioning by the end of October this year.

The project driven by a joint venture between SEB, China Power International Holdings, and solar energy firm Trina Solar officially began construction on June 20 last year.

When completed, the solar farm can generate 50 megawatts (MW) of power.

Batang Ai dam, commissioned in 1985, has an installed capacity of 108MW of electricity.

"This means that when the floating solar is completed, we will have 158MW of power from Batang Ai,” he said

Abang Johari said the state government will identify areas in Bakun and Murum dams for installing solar panels.

He said the Bakun dam area has the potential to produce 500 MW and the Murum dam can produce 600MW, of solar energy.

"We have foreign investors who want to invest in these two areas ... we have signed a memorandum of understanding with a company from the United Arab Emirates and they are among the investors who want to invest in these two areas,” Abang Johari said.

Earlier, Abang Johari was briefed on the floating solar farm by SEB group chief executive officer Datuk Sarbini Suhaili.