KUCHING: Sarawak is on track to export renewable power to Sabah by the end of this year.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said approximately 30 to 50 megawatt (MW) of renewable energy will be exported, facilitated by a 34 kilometre (km), 275 kilovolt (kV) transmission line.
“At the same time, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has requested that Sarawak consider supplying renewable power to the Southern Philippines.
“With the Sarawak–Sabah Interconnection set to be energised this year, I am confident that this aspiration can be realised, particularly through the Sabah-Palawan Interconnection project, which is currently under study through Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the broader ASEAN framework,” he said.
He said this when delivering his keynote address titled ‘Powering Borneo Energy Future As ASEAN’s Sustainable Energy Hub’ during the Energy Industries Council (EIC) Connect Energy Borneo event held at Hikmah Exchange Convention Centre Kuching here on Tuesday.
Abang Johari added that the state is also committed to realising the Sarawak–Brunei Darussalam power interconnection by 2030, with an initial export capacity of 30 to 50 MW.
Sarawak, he said, is committed to supporting Southeast Asia’s clean energy transition.
“Together with Kalimantan, Indonesia, we have the potential to be the ‘Battery of ASEAN’, supplying renewable power to our Southeast Asian neighbours through the interconnected Borneo and ASEAN Power Grid.
“As Malaysia chairs ASEAN this year, Sarawak, in collaboration with the federal government, is committed to deepening regional cooperation and fostering greater energy connectivity,” he said.
He added the first step towards regional collaboration began nearly a decade ago with the Sarawak–West Kalimantan power grid interconnection — also referred to as Trans Borneo Power Grid – the first BIMP-EAGA power flagship project under the ASEAN Power Grid initiative, and formed the first leg of energy trading between Malaysia and Indonesia.
“This interconnection enables West Kalimantan to import hydropower from Sarawak while advancing Sarawak’s own power export ambitions. The project has set a precedent for future regional energy trading and integration,” he said.
He added that Sarawak’s regional energy collaboration continues to progress, with the 1,000 MW interconnection project to Singapore which is advancing, with Malaysia and Singapore having reached an agreement.
“Technical discussions are now in their final stages. Given the complexity of installing one of the world’s few long-distance submarine cables, we are working closely with all stakeholders, including Indonesia,” he said.
Abang Johari also said with growing demand for reliable electricity supply, the state through Sarawak Energy has recently commissioned the first utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Malaysia.
“As Sarawak advances its renewable energy ambitions, expanding energy storage will be crucial to accommodate the increasing share of variable energy sources like solar.
“To address this, Sarawak Energy is finalising a feasibility study to explore not only the expansion of battery energy storage but also alternative solutions such as pumped hydro storage, ensuring a more reliable and stable energy system,” he said.
Meanwhile, under the power sector strategy, Sarawak aims to achieve 10GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and expand to 15GW by 2035.
Currently, over 70 per cent of the state’s electricity comes from hydropower, making Sarawak one of ASEAN’s lowest carbon emitters in the power sector.
