KOTA KINABALU – The state government will make significant efforts to assume regulatory control over electricity, with plans to table two new bills at a special assembly sitting on January 3 next year.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state plans to introduce the Electricity Supply Enactment and Renewable Energy Enactment bills during the sitting.
Additionally, amendments will also be made to Sabah’s Energy Commission Enactment 2023 to assert the state’s role in overseeing electricity and renewable energy components, he added.
“To ensure the timely completion of this process, coordination and cooperation from all stakeholders are essential in resolving any issues, particularly those related to the legal procedures.
“Subsequently, we require the consent of the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, followed by the Lay Order in Parliament, which can be tabled after the suspension.
“We need the concurrence of ministries and relevant agencies at both the federal and state levels to ensure a smooth process, particularly in terms of legality and to prevent any interruption to the electric supply operations in Sabah,” he said when chairing the steering committee meeting on the handover of electricity supply regulatory power to Sabah at the state administrative complex, Menara Kinabalu, here today.
Also present was Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who co-chaired the steering committee.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had given preliminary approval to Sabah to take control of its electric supply from January 2024.
Meanwhile, the Sabah Generation Development Plan (2023-2027) was also endorsed at the Electric Supply Planning and Implementation Committee, which both Hajiji and Nik Nazmi also chaired the meeting.
The Sabah Generation Development Plan was formulated by the Sabah Energy Commission (ECoS) with the aim of dealing with Sabah’s power woes.
He stressed the importance of implementing fast-track measures to increase power on the east coast, thereby restoring Sabah’s electricity reserve margin to at least 30% by September this year.
The committee had also decided to utilise natural gas supply to boost power generation on the west coast of Sabah, while introducing additional projects to deal with any shortcomings.
Sabah has already gained control over gas supply from Putrajaya.
At the same time, Hajiji said up to 100MW large-scale solar power production would be established by 2026 on the east coast of Sabah in view of the state’s commitment towards renewable energy and national carbon neutrality initiatives.
At the same time, the Sabah Energy Commission has been given the task to formulate the Sabah Hydroelectric Development Masterplan.
Additionally, Hajiji reiterated the need for the federal government to provide grants for the Southern Link 275kV Transmission Line from Sipitang to Tawau.
He said the Southern Link is a public amenity project that must be completed by 2028 to allow two new hydroelectric stations to supply consumers through the grid.
“The Southern Link project will also enhance the grid system’s resilience and complete the 275kV loop system, enabling the distribution of higher electricity capacity to major industrial users in Sabah,” Hajiji stated.
The meeting was attended by state secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, NRECC deputy secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Razif Abd Mubin, state attorney-general Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof, state Finance Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Mohd Sofian Alfian Nair, Sabah Energy Commission chief executive officer Datuk Ir. Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid, as well as senior federal and state officers. – The Vibes, June 12, 2023
