Sarawak needs coal-fired power plants: Awang Tengah

The Star 27 Jan 10;

KUCHING: Sarawak needs coal-fired power to complement its hydro power generation, especially in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score), to meet high demand at energy-intensive industries, said Sarawak’s Second Minister for Planning and Resource Management Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.

In rebuking a claim by Miri-based NGO Borneo Resources Institute that the Sarawak government had classified the mining and exploitation of coal reserves under renewable energy projects, he said: “Yes, we know coal is not a renewable energy.”

“However, with a combination of resources, coal can be used as a source of power to meet demand from energy-intensive industries in the state,” he told reporters after opening Arcardia Apartments built by Lee Onn Construction Sdn Bhd here.

Borneo Resources had challenged the Sarawak government to explain how coal mining could be categorised as renewable energy and included among the projects under the Score initiative.

It was reported that there was 400 million tonnes of coal deposits at Merit Pila in Kapit Division.

Besides the state’s 1,000MW domestic demand for energy, Awang Tengah said that Sarawak needed to increase power supply to woo factories and smelting companies.

He said the RM6bil Bakun Hydroelectric Project was expected to generate 300MW this year and this would be increased to 2,400MW by 2012.

The proposed 900MW Murum dam project, currently under construction and expected to come on stream in 2013, would not generate enough electricity to meet demand from heavy industries, he said.

“When all the development comes in, especially energy intensive industries, we will require a lot of power.

“Some investors are committed, so we need to tally their needs. We are looking at Baleh, Baram and other areas like Limbang and Lawas. We have done the technical studies. When they are implemented depends on Sarawak’s needs,” he said. — Bernama