GEORGE TOWN – The second wave of clouding seeding in Penang conducted yesterday showed an increase in the water level at Air Itam Dam following rain occurring in the area.
The dam’s water level was at 48.6% compared to 47% last week, said state Infrastructure and Transport executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari.
“The cloud-seeding operation yesterday was said to be successful as it brought rain and assisted in raising the water level of Air Itam Dam by 1% while the water level at Teluk Bahang Dam remained at 44.2% yesterday, the same as last week.
“The state government will be seeking another cloud-seeding exercise depending on the current weather conditions… if the rainy season has already started then we no longer need to do another clouding-seeding operation,” he told reporters here today.
Previously in early May, the media reported that water reserves at Air Itam Dam would only last 40 days and at Teluk Bahang Dam another 146 days following the current hot weather.
As of May 8, Air Itam Dam’s water level was at 41.5% while at Teluk Bahang Dam it was at 48.1%.
Meanwhile, in another development, Zairil said Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will from June 15 begin installing smart metres in residential and commercial premises in Pulau Tikus and Tg Tokong before doing so in other areas of Penang in phases until the exercise is completed by the end of next year.
He added that each unit involved would face power supply cuts during installation.
“It takes between 30 minutes to an hour for each unit and each unit will receive a smart metre installation notice and form B (electricity supply disruption) before the installation is carried out,” he said. – Bernama, June 13, 2023
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