Prime Minister: Supporting ASEAN Energy Development, Sarawak Ready to Share Green Electricity

(Kuching, 17th) Sarawak is ready to share its surplus power supply, especially renewable energy, with ASEAN neighbors, thereby playing a greater role in the regional energy landscape.
 
 Sarawak's Prime Minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari, stated that Sarawak, with its abundant natural resources and hydropower capacity, has the potential to meet its own energy needs as well as contribute to Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.
 
 He explained that the Sarawak government plans to increase its energy supply to 10 GW by 2030 and add at least 3 GW in the next four years.

"Currently, we are constructing a 1.5 GW gas turbine power plant, with 1000 MW of power coming from Bintulu and 500 MW from Miri. I just returned from Baleh in Kapit, where another hydropower station is being built, which will generate 1.2 GW. Through this project, in the next four years, we will be able to add an additional 3 GW to our existing total installed capacity of 7 GW."

He said, Sarawak is a small region with a population of only 2.8 million, so if we have surplus energy, we are willing to share it with our ‘brothers and sisters’ in the ASEAN region.

He made these remarks at the 43rd ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) Joint Official Dinner last night.

Addressing the issue of global climate change, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari emphasized that the world has no choice but to seek alternatives to hydrocarbon fuels in order to achieve low carbon footprint goals.

He stated that Sarawak is doing its utmost to utilize available resources and explore new technologies for producing alternative energy, with hydrogen being one alternative.
 
"Currently, we are collaborating with partners, including Japan and South Korea, to produce hydrogen using our water resources. This is because we have five dams, and we believe we can separate hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules through the electrolysis of water (H2O). Although this process is currently expensive, we are confident that technological advancements will reduce the cost of producing hydrogen through new membranes in the electrolysis process, making it a viable alternative energy source."
 
Additionally, Sarawak is also exploring hydrogen production technology with Gentari Petronas, Japan, and Siemens.
 
In fact, he stated that next year will be a landmark year for Sarawak, with the launch of a hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) public transportation system, which will be the first of its kind in the region.
 
The event was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transformation and Water Management, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, as well as senior officials from ASEAN member countries.