THE construction of a 200MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power station in Miri and Samalaju is critical to meet the load demand in 2025, before the 1,285MW Baleh Hydro Power Station is completed and expected to start operations in 2027.
Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the CCGT power station in Miri would have a capacity of 200MW, while the one in Samalaju would have a capacity of 421MW.
“The load demand in Sarawak was 4,107MW in 2021 and is expected to increase to 4,250MW in 2022 and 5,000MW by 2025.
“Hence, the total installed capacity of Sarawak’s electricity grid is currently 5,575MW. To meet the growth of load demand, the CCGT power station in Tanjung Kidurong with a capacity of 842MW is scheduled to be fully operational this year.”
He said this in his ministerial winding-up speech during the DUN sitting on Tuesday (May24).
Julaihi said the transmission line system had also been developed and expanded to ensure adequate transmission capacity in line with the increase in generating capacity, where the construction of the Baleh-Mapai 500kV transmission line would connect the Baleh hydro station with the Sarawak electric grid line system (main grid).
“The 500kV transmission line from Similajau, Bintulu to Tondong, Bau is the second main line (main grid) that will be fully completed after the section from Lachau, Sri Aman to Tondong is completed by the end of this year.
“This second 500kV main line will support the existing 275kV main line from Miri to Kuching, which has been in operation since the early 1990s.”
Under the Northern Grid Extension project, the 275kV Bunut substation, Miri, he said, was under construction and scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2022.
“It will be connected to Similajau, Miri, Limbang and Lawas via a 275kV transmission line. With the completion of all these projects by 2024—subject to the resolution of the permit issue—Limbang and Lawas will finally be connected to the Sarawak electricity grid.”
