BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & SHARIFAH NONG-JASIMA
KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak targets becoming a regional power exporter by 2035, supplying surplus energy to neighbouring countries as part of its sweeping energy transition agenda.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak’s strategy focuses on maximising its energy resources while contributing to regional connectivity.
“By 2035, we will be able to supply our surplus power to our neighbours,” he said during the Panel Discussion on “Energy Transition and the ASEAN Power Grid – Connecting Markets, Securing Futures” at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2025 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) here on Sunday.
Abang Johari said Sarawak is already exporting electricity to its neighbours — 300 megawatts to West Kalimantan, Indonesia, and 100 megawatts to Sabah, with plans to supply 100 to 150 megawatts to Brunei.
“Now we are sharing our power with West Kalimantan, Indonesia, 300 megawatts. And with Asean Development Bank’s (ADB) upgrading of infrastructure, the grid must be continuous.
“I think we can increase the supply to our friends in Indonesia. And we are supplying 100 megawatts to Sabah. And an arrangement now is being made for us to also supply about 100 to 150 megawatts to Brunei.
“In other words, there is a basis already for the Borneo grid,” he added.
He said Sarawak is also in talks with Singapore to supply one gigawatt of green energy through interconnection, which would support the ASEAN Power Grid initiative.
“The Prime Minister has asked us to look into the possibility of connecting Sabah towards the southern Philippines,” Abang Johari said.
He said Sarawak’s energy development is driven by four main hubs — renewable energy, hydrogen, gas, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).
“First, we have sources of energy. And Sarawak is going towards four hubs. Number one is our renewable hub.
“Number two is we want to establish what we call a hydrogen hub. Number three is the gas hub. And number four is CCUS, storage of energy,” he said.
Abang Johari said Sarawak aims to produce 10 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2030, mainly from hydro sources.
He said Sarawak currently has five hydro dams producing about seven gigawatts of electricity in total, with further potential from floating solar and biomass technologies.
“Besides hydro, we have five hydro dams now producing roughly about seven gigawatts. And if you were to install what we call floating solar, then that will substantially increase our power to solar energy,” he said.
