Malaysiakini: Does Sarawak need 12 dams and 7,000MW of power?

PETALING JAYA: Sarawak plans to build 12 hydroelectric dams to meet its future industrialisation needs. [The Star, 23/7/08]

The mega project will include the construction of new dams on the rivers of Ulu Air, Metjawah, Belaga, Baleh, Belepeh, Lawas, Tutoh, Limbang, Baram, Murum and Linau. The existing Batang Ai dam, on the other hand will undergo an extension.

With the Bakun dam already under construction, these dams will push Sarawak's output to 7,000MW by 2020; an increase of 600% from the current capacity.

Malaysiakini reported Sarawak currently only consumes about 750 MW of power.

Image taken from Malaysiakini

Preliminary work on a RM3 billion dam in Murum in Sarawak has again put the spotlight on the government’s controversial scheme to build a string of 12 dams in the next decade to tap cheap electricity in the state. [Malaysiakini, 29/9/08]

The proposed Murum dam, which will cost RM3 billion to construct, had raised questions over the need for the state to have another hydroelectric power plant. On July 23, the Sarawak state government announced that they were planning to build 12 hydroelectric dams to meet future industrialisation needs.

According to Malaysiakini, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), which the state government has a 65% stake, will fund the construction of the Murum dam. SEB has been in negotiations with Cahaya Mata Sarawak (CMS) and the multinational Rio Tinto Alcan to supply 900-1200 MW of electricity to power an aluminium smelter. Both CMS and Rio Tinto Alcan are in a consortium and is planning to build a US$2 billion aluminium smelter, not far from the Bakun and Murum dams...