SCORE – not just about generating electricity

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/5/29/sarawak/8781573&sec=sarawak

Dams will turn Sarawak into the state with the most amount of electricity (The Star)

MIRI: Sarawak is set to become the number one power supplier in the country even though the state government has not decided to buy the Bakun hydroelectric dam.

In not buying the dam, the state would save more than RM7bil in expenditure and yet still remained the number one power producer in the country, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin.

He explained that the state did not have to buy the dam, initially said to cost RM7.3bil, because it was already buying the entire electricity supply for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) at a rate that was still under negotiation.

This also meant that Sarawak Hidro, a federal agency under the Finance Ministry Incorporated, would continue to be the dam manager.

The start of the commercial production of electricity by the 2,400MWs Bakun dam, followed by the construction of other similar dams, would turn Sarawak into the state with the greatest amount of electricity, he said.

Chin, who is Miri MP, yesterday said the Bakun project had placed the state in a very powerful position by having the country’s biggest energy supply, which was a big lure for investors in mega industries.

“This status will span into the distant future, especially as Malaysia is still undecided on setting up any nuclear power plant in the peninsula,” he said here.

“If the Federal Government decides not to set up a nuclear facility, then the possibility of reviving the submarine undersea cable from Sarawak to the peninsula might be revived.”

Asked if there had been any discussion to revive the project that was shelved last year, he said no official proposal had been tabled as yet but the project was never abandoned in its entirety.

“It was shelved due to costs consideration. It can always be revived in the future if needed,” he said. “It is the same with the proposed nuclear plant. That plan was also subject to the issue of costs.

“In the peninsula, the need for electricity is surging all the time due to increase in population, commercial activities and industries.”

Hence, since Sarawak was in a prime position to produce electricity, there was little or nothing to discount the possibility that the Government might go ahead with the project, he said.

Chin also said there was no truth to the Opposition’s propaganda that the Government had already approved a plan to construct a nuclear plant.

“There has been no definite decision on the nuclear plant.”

The Star (Sunday May 29, 2011)

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The Chief Minister of Sarawak has mentioned in his speeches that our State will be poised not only to achieve “developed status” by the year 2020, but is also expected to become the richest state in Malaysia.

This is because our dams will not only generate power for the benefit of the whole country, but will also generate jobs and generate more income for our State and for our people.

But it won’t mean a thing if only the big boys reap the benefit of SCORE and that is why the Chief Minister has always stressed that our local SMIs and SMEs have a role to play in our economic corridor.

But at the end of the day, it will be up to us to take advantage of all the opportunities and possibilities that SCORE will bring.

So while our dams generate energy for Sarawak and the nation, we as Sarawakians should focus our energy to making SCORE success.