MIRI: Nine more longhouses with 451 households in Telang Usan now enjoy access to reliable 24-hour renewable electricity supply.
This supply is obtained through the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) which targets remote villages located at a distance from transmission and distribution infrastructure.
“Under the Rural Electrification Master Plan, RM2.37 billion was allocated for the 2019/2020 period to accelerate rural electrification as envisioned by our Chief Minister; thus allowing us to move forward in our drive to achieve full electrification of Sarawak by 2025.
“Electricity coverage for our rural population went up to 93 percent in 2019 through various initiatives including the Sares programme that kicked off in 2016,” said Minister of Utilities, Datuk Seri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom when speaking at the handing over ceremony (of the supply) to the longhouses yesterday.
Sares utilises renewable off-grid solutions to supply electricity to villages that are too distant to be connected to the main electricity grid.
It is one of several initiatives under the Rural Electrification Masterplan, driven and funded by the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Utilities with Sarawak Energy as its implementation agent.
“With Sares, each household is provided with 3000Wh of renewable electricity daily, catering for a typical rural household’s basic needs that include lighting, fans, a television, a small freezer and rice cooker.
“The system brings much needed convenience to the households and allows cold storage of fish and game meat, and minimises the need for frequent travel to town for supplies. Please take care of this precious gift from the government,” he added.
Rundi congratulated the residents of the longhouses and urged the Village Development and Security Committees (JKKK) and local community leaders to take good care of their newly installed Sares systems.
The handover ceremony also signified the successful completion of local community training to perform simple operation and maintenance work, with Sarawak Energy providing technical support free of charge under government funding.
“The innovative nature of Sares and the involvement of the communities mean that Sares is proving to be a sustainable solution to light up our most remote communities in Sarawak’s hinterland.
“As a crucial factor for long term sustainability and success of this scheme, Sarawak Energy’s Sares team trains the beneficiary communities on how to operate and maintain the system and continues to provide technical support after the projects are completed and implemented.
“Thank you to these nine Telang Usan villages for their cooperation and support,” he shared.
In addition to these nine longhouses, Sares is to benefit 39 villages in Telang Usan, 11 villages in Beluru and 26 villages in Marudi by 2020, lighting up 3,805 households of about 34,657 residents with 24-hour reliable and renewable electricity supply in the Miri division.
A ceremony was held yesterday at Long Anyat to officially hand over the solar systems from project implementer Sarawak Energy to the nine beneficiary longhouses of Long Anyat, Long Sinung, Long Beku, Long Lilim, Long Daloh, Long Keluan, Long Selatong (Tanjung Tepalit), Long Selatong Dikan and Long Anap.
Also present were Assistant Minister of Utilities (Rural Electricity) Datuk Liwan Lagang, Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau, political secretary to the chief minister Charles Balang Seling, Telang Usan district officer Baru Tai, chairman of LAKU Management Sdn Bhd Datuk Nelson Balang Rining and Sarawak Energy’s rural electrification vice president Dr Chen Shiun.
