BINTULU: Four remote longhouses sheltering 102 households in Sebauh district now have 24-hour electricity supply provided through the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares).
The longhouses are Rumah Lawai Chukai and Rumah Nompang, Sungai Sujan as well as Rumah Palos Andin and Rumah Elwin Ugan, Sungai Binyo in Sebauh.
Minister of Utilities Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom officiated at a brief ceremony to hand over the certificate of ownership of the Sares solar power system to the four longhouses at Rumah Patrick Andin, Sungai Serakit in Sebauh, yesterday.
In his speech, Dr Rundi said a total of RM2.37 billion was allocated for the period of 2019 to 2020 under the Sarawak Rural Electrification Master Plan to accelerate the implementation of rural electrification with the target of achieving full electricity supply coverage by 2025.
He said the electricity coverage for Sarawak’s rural population had increased to 93 percent in 2019 through various initiatives under the master plan including Sares which started in 2016.
Dr Rundi said for the Bintulu Division, Sares had connected 17 villages in Sebauh and 18 villages in Tatau, illuminating 607 households comprising of some 3,300 residents.
He added that another 21 projects were currently under implementation in Tatau District and would be completed by early next year.
By 2020, it is expected that 5,100 residents will benefit from Sares in the Bintulu Division in the form of a reliable and renewable 24-hour electricity supply.
Dr Rundi congratulated the residents of the four longhouses and advised them to take good care of their newly installed Sares solar power systems.
“This is a gift from the Sarawak Government to our rural people who do not have equal access to utilities owned by the urban population.”
He explained that each household was supplied with 3000Wh of electricity that could be renewed daily and sufficient to meet the basic electricity needs of the villagers.
