KOTA KINABALU – As Sabah struggles with power supply issues, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) will be giving incentives to encourage reduced electricity consumption, Energy Commission chief executive officer Datuk Razib Dawood said today.
Since April, SESB has implemented rotational load shedding to cope with the surge in power consumption due to the hot weather.
Razib said new incentives will be implemented to encourage reduced electricity usage, especially during peak hours, which are from 11am to 3pm and from 7pm to 9pm.
Razib said those with power generators are now encouraged to use these machines during these periods and they would be compensated, either with fuel or other means.
For those without generators, Razib said they can operate during off-peak hours while they will be compensated by a discount.
“Details for discounts and compensation will be decided as soon as possible, when SESB proposes them to us,” he told reporters at a press conference today.
Use of solar power is allowed, said Razib, adding the present scheme allows industries to self-generate up to 75% of their power needs.
“The same scheme applies for house owners. It is allowed for self-consumption,” he said.
SESB and the Sabah government came under fire recently due to unpredictable and constant power outages and water rationing.
Meanwhile, Razib also announced a new task force, chaired by himself, for Sabah to resolve the state’s electric supply problems and improve its power reserve margins.
Other members of the task force comprise the Sabah Energy Commission (ECoS), as well as components in the Sabah and Labuan Grid statutory committee, namely SESB, independent power producers, solar and gas authority, and oil company, Petronas.
“It will largely serve to coordinate between all parties to look into how to resolve problems when they arise, as well as to ensure Sabah would have a stable reserve margin,” he said.
Power generation in Sabah is currently at 1,200MW, with a narrow reserve margin of under 12%. The ideal reserve margin should be around 20% to 30%.
On the transition of regulatory power on energy to Sabah next year, Razib assured that it will proceed smoothly.
The commission is expected to hand over all regulatory authority to ECoS on January 1, 2024.
“The full transition will be next year, and ECoS will take over the regulatory role from the Energy Commission.
Existing projects related to power generation in Sabah will also be completed before the transition, which will be discussed with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor in an upcoming meeting, he added. – The Vibes, May 23, 2023
