KUCHING: The Sarawak-Singapore Interconnection Project secured a Conditional Approval (CA) from the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA), a significant milestone towards improving broader energy security prospects and enhancing economic integration between neighbouring nations in the spirit of ASEAN.
According to a statement, with the issuance of the CA, the Sarawak-Singapore Interconnection Project is recognised to have been preliminary assessed to be technically and commercially viable and ready to move on to the next phase of obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals and licenses for further development of the project.
The handing over ceremony on Friday, was witnessed by Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong.
Commenting on the CA issuance by EMA, Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari expressed satisfaction with this positive development on the Sarawak-Singapore Project.
“The project offers significant value in supporting Malaysia’s pursuit of the development and operation of a wider ASEAN Power Grid.
“Sarawak is also supporting the development of the Borneo Grid, having established a cross-border connection with West Kalimantan, Indonesia in 2016.
“Building on this success, we are now working to establish new interconnections with Sabah and Brunei Darussalam to cater to regional energy needs,” he said.
The statement also added that the CA granted by the EMA is a Consortium comprising Sarawak Energy and Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd is to export around 1 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy from Sarawak to Singapore, with flow expected to commence around 2035 or earlier.
Present at the handing over ceremony were EMA Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Commercial Officer, Eugene Toh presented the Letter of Conditional Approval to Chairman of Sarawak Energy and Deputy Minister for Utility (Sarawak Energy and PETROS), Datuk Ibrahim Baki, and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sembcorp Industries Ltd, Wong Kim Yin.
Meanwhile, Datuk Ibrahim said that multiple interconnections with abundant renewable energy resources presents an excellent opportunity to initiate multilateral energy trading.
Also present were Sarawak Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi, Sarawak Secretary and Sarawak Energy Board member, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sarawak Energy Board member, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Sarawak Energy representatives Singapore Interconnection Project Lead, Alvin Lim, and Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, Siti Aisah Adenan and relevant Sarawak heads of department. -UKASnews
