Power plant upgrades in the works

Dated 16 June 2010.
Business Times

The Energy Commission will soon call for bids to upgrade existing power plants in Peninsular Malaysia for use from 2015 onwards.

"Malaysia's power consumption increases by 3 per cent every year.
By 2015, we'll need 800 megawatts (MW) more power and
by 2017, a further 1,000MW,"
said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui."If we don't plant up, we'll face brownouts," he told Business Times in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Brownouts refer to the drop in voltage in electrical power supply.Malaysia's electricity reserve margin could fall below the 20 per cent threshold if there are no efforts made to boost production capacity.The future power supply in the peninsula is at risk after it was confirmed that electricity from the Bakun hydroelectric plant in Sarawak will only be used to meet the state's power needs.

Malaysia now has an installed capacity of 22,000MW.

It was reported that MMC Corp Bhd is keen to spend as much as US$1 billion (RM3.26 billion) to expand its 2,100MW Tanjung Bin power plant by another 800MW.

Similarly, Tenaga Nasional Bhd is seeking to raise capacity of its Manjung facility by 2,000MW from its current 2,100MW, at an estimated cost of between RM6 billion and RM7 billion. (USD1.84b to USD2.15b)

Under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011 to 2015), the government plans two power plant upgrades in Peninsular Malaysia and construction of a new one in Lahad Datu in Sabah.

"So far, power plant operators in Perak, Negri Sembilan and Johor have indicated their interest to expand capacity," Chin said.

"We're only planning for two here, so we'll call for bids. The Energy Commission will make the necessary preparation," he added.

(Blogger's query: So where will the two upgrades be located? Manjung, Tg Bin, or NS?)