PARIS: Sarawak Energy is pursuing pumped storage hydropower (PSH) studies to build flexibility into the power system, strengthen reliability and accommodate more renewable generation.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said PSH would be a central part of Sarawak’s plan to expand its generation capacity to 15 gigawatts by 2035.
He said PSH would improve grid stability, support renewable growth, enable clean hydrogen production and provide the flexibility required for future energy systems.
“A recent study mission to Snowy Hydro in New South Wales, Australia, gave us practical insights into the operation and regulation of large-scale pumped hydro schemes.
“Snowy Hydro’s long experience in cycling water between reservoirs to generate and store electricity is helping to inform our own feasibility studies and discussions with stakeholders in Sarawak,” he said.
The Premier said this when addressing an International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower 2025 at Unesco Headquarters here on Tuesday.
Abang Johari stressed that hydropower continues to serve as the backbone of Sarawak’s generation mix, ensuring stability for the integration of renewable resources such as floating solar and the development of hydrogen and biomass.
He said existing facilities at Batang Ai, Bakun, Murum and the upcoming Baleh Hydroelectric Plant are operated in line with international standards, including those of the International Commission on Large Dams and the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS).
He also shared that Bakun had recently become the largest HSS-certified hydroelectric plant in Southeast Asia, underscoring Sarawak’s commitment to responsible development.
“We are also advancing studies into cascading run-of-river hydro across several river basins in Sarawak.
“These assessments have already identified several sites with a combined hydropower generation potential of up to three gigawatts, signalling new opportunities to further harness the state’s natural resources in a sustainable and integrated manner,” he added.
As such, Abang Johari reaffirmed Sarawak’s commitment to a sustainable energy future, stressing that pumped storage hydropower was more than a technical solution but also an investment in resilience, reliability and shared prosperity.
“Sarawak is ready to work with partners across the region and beyond — to share knowledge, to innovate and to contribute to Southeast Asia’s energy transition,” he said.
Last year, Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi said Sarawak had identified two potential locations for the construction of PSH facilities.
He said the two locations would be developed between the Bakun and Murum hydroelectric dams, while another would be constructed in the Padawan area of Kuching.
