BRUNEI is likely to import electricity from Sarawak beginning 2012, and to serve such purpose Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) is expected to build a 40kilometre-long power transmission line linking Miri to Brunei, the Malaysian Star reported yesterday.

According to Sarawak Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, the project would take 18 months to complete.

“Brunei has the potential to import 100MW from Sarawak in 2012, an additional 50MW in 2013 and a further 50MW in future years,” the Star quoted him as saying.

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah was speaking before handing over a copy of the final report for the feasibility study on the Sarawak-Brunei power interconnection system to the Minister for Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Hj Mohammad on Wednesday in Kuching.

He said the price of the electricity to be sold to Brunei would be determined later. The feasibility study on the power-generation capacity expansion for Brunei was commissioned after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Electrical Services Brunei and SEB in May last year.

Brunei is now relying 100 per cent on gas generation for its 66kV main grid system. It has the option to buy competitive electricity from Sarawak’s 275kV grid from specific hydroelectric projects.

According to SEB, which generates and distributes electricity in Sarawak, the first phase of the power export to Brunei would be the setting up of a power connection between Tudan in Miri and Brunei via the Sungai Tujoh border point.

Connection will be via a 275kV transmission line of about 13km between Tudan and Sungai Tujoh. As actual power demand in Brunei is in Kuala Belait and Sungai Liang Industrial Park (SPARK) areas, the transmission interconnection has to extend beyond Sungai Tujoh to Kuala Belait (which is about 18km), where a 275kV/66kV sub-station has to be built.

Eventually, Brunei intends to develop a 275kV transmission backbone spanning Sungai Tujoh-Kuala’ Belait-SPARK-Bukit Panggal-Katok.

The proposed second phase of power export to Brunei will be via Limbang, probably in conjunction with the development of a proposed 200MW Limbang hydroelectric project, which is expected to be completed by 2015.
The proposed dam site is 151km from the mouth of the Limbang river. The power from the dam will be supplied to Brunei via Limau Manis. There is another plan to go westward through Temburong District in Brunei to connect with Lawas town in Sarawak, and also supplying Bangar in Temburong.

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah said the development of the proposed hydroelectric projects in the northern region of Sarawak is in line with the plan to develop an integrated Brunei-SabahSarawak regional grid.

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