KUCHING, May 10 — Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) chairman Datuk Amar Hamed Sepawi said today said that the state will no longer construct coal-fired plants to generate power in the future as the state moves towards renewable energy.
He said the 624 megawatts (MW) Balingian coal-fired plant will be the last one to be built.
Hamed said SEB today provides predominantly renewable, reliable, and affordable electricity to its customers in Sarawak and beyond as Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer.
“Our energy transition has grown our generation mix from fossil fuel to predominantly renewable hydropower, significantly lowering the carbon emission intensity of our power grid,” he said at the launch of Sarawak’s first industrial microalgae facility in Sejingkat by Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
He said the Sejingkat coal-fired power plant, completed in 2004, is scheduled to start decommissioning in 2026.
Hamed said Sejingkat will continue to be a site for technological innovation within SEB as it will serve as the site for its 60MWh battery energy storage system pilot project.
However, he said the thermal generation from indigenous coal and gas is still necessary to maintain the security of supply, stressing that SEB is finding ways to minimise the emissions produced from coal-powered generation.
Hamed said SEB is also using standalone solar systems through Sarawak Alternative Rural Electricity Supply (SARES) to power the most remote villages, many of which are not accessible by road or too far to be connected to the state grid.
Hamed said climate action and environmental sustainability are now part of the global conversation surrounding climate change, which is compromising natural habitats and communities across the world.
