Latest news with #NiagaSpotlight
Borneo Post
5 hours ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
ECoS: Sabah on track to boost grid stability
Abdul Nasser KOTA KINABALU (June 25): Sabah is on track to reach a 25 per cent reserve margin by the third quarter of 2025, said the Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS), Datuk Ir. Abdul Nasser bin Abdul Wahid. Since ECoS took over regulatory control in January 2024, he said Sabah's priority has been grid stability. 'We had to get our house in order,' said Nasser. Through fast-tracked interim measures, including 200MW of diesel and gas rentals and a 100MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Sabah is on track to reach a 25% reserve margin by Q3 2025, with permanent gas plants due to replace those interim diesel plants by 2026–2027. Nasser said this on Astro Awani's Niaga Spotlight, themed 'Lighting Up Sabah – Energy Transformation, Equity and Opportunity' where he spoke with anchor Tehmina Kaoosji to share Sabah's journey toward a greener, more resilient and inclusive energy future. According to Nasser, rural electrification has reached 96%, with full access targeted by 2030. This is being driven by collaboration with the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), Sabah Electricity and through an intervention committee mandated by Sabah Energy Council which is the Jawatankuasa Elektrifikasi Luar Bandar Sabah (JELaS), alongside renewable off-grid solutions and community-based operations. Sabah is also scaling up its renewable energy (RE) ambitions, 40% by 2030, 80% by 2050, guided by the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 (SE-RAMP 2040). Over 600MW of projects, mostly hydropower, have been approved, with a further 2,000MW targeted by 2040. These projects aim to bring socio-economic benefits to indigenous and rural communities through training, jobs, and local business opportunities. On large-scale infrastructure like the Upper Padas Hydropower Project, he emphasised the importance of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), early engagement with relevant stakeholders, environmental protection measures, and fair compensation. Welcoming foreign investment, including from private firms, Nasser stressed the compulsory requirement for minimum value of local content and State Government-Linked Company (GLC) participation for energy projects in Sabah. He cited the success of LSS Sabah 2024 bid rounds conducted by ECoS last year, which attracted nearly 200 local bids and resulted in 15 awarded consortiums, as evidence of market confidence and strong governance. He also highlighted bioenergy as a 'hidden gem,' with over 800MW of untapped potential. Recent policy shifts, including biomass export restrictions and appointment of GLC aggregators, are helping unlock this sector, with more emphasis on methane reduction poised to attract premium green tariffs. On reconciling fossil fuel investments with climate goals, the CEO said a balanced approach is important for a just transition with natural gas serving as a necessary transition fuel to maintain energy security while RE capacity grows, aligned with NETR and SE-RAMP 2040. Human capital development is also a key lever to sustain all the development efforts which has been identified as being one of the enablers under the SE-RAMP 2040. 'Understanding its importance, ECoS has decided on another intervention approach through the TVET Angkat ECoS programme, whereby it is committed to upgrade vocational training skills and competencies including facilitating infrastructure needs, aligning skills with industry demand, and supporting local youth employability. With this effort, we are hoping more organisations and industry players will follow suit and do their part for the sustainable future of the Sabah energy industry,' he said. In closing, Nasser affirmed Sabah's potential to be a regional model for a just and sustainable energy transition through the integration into the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) starting with the soon to be completed Sabah-Sarawak grid interconnection by end-2025 and leveraging its central geographical advantages towards becoming the future key energy hub in this region.
The Star
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Sabah's energy sector sees promising transformation under ECoS
KOTA KINABALU: Just over a year since assuming regulatory control, the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) is beginning to see tangible progress in stabilising, reforming, and future-proofing the state's energy sector. ECoS chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid ( pic ) highlighted that Sabah's energy landscape, once plagued by supply instability and limited rural access, is now moving towards a more resilient and inclusive system. "When we came in, the priority was to stabilise the grid. We had to put the house in order before we could talk about transformation," Nasser shared in an interview with Niaga Spotlight. The turnaround began with urgent interim measures: leasing 200MW of diesel and gas generation capacity, and deploying 100MW of battery energy storage systems (BESS). These initiatives were crucial in preventing outages and restoring confidence. Sabah is now on track to achieve a 25% reserve margin by the third quarter of 2025, with plans to phase out diesel systems and replace them with permanent gas plants by 2026–2027. "Electrification of remote areas is another area where progress is accelerating. With 96% rural electrification already achieved, ECoS is collaborating with federal and state agencies, including the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), UPEN Sabah, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), and JELaS, to reach full access by 2030," he said. Nasser emphasised that innovative off-grid solutions powered by renewables and supported by local communities will be key. 'Electricity is not a luxury. It is a right. We want communities, especially those long left behind, to be part of this journey,' he explained in a statement on Wednesday (June 25). Under the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Master Plan 2040 (SE-RAMP 2040), Sabah aims to achieve 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 80% by 2050. So far, 600MW of renewable capacity, mostly hydropower, has been approved, with a total target of 2,000MW by 2040. 'These projects create jobs, build skills, and unlock business opportunities, especially for youth and indigenous communities,' he said, stressing that this green transition must benefit everyone. Major developments like the Upper Padas Hydropower Project will be guided by strict environmental and social safeguards, with early stakeholder engagement, environmental protection, and fair compensation at the core. Sabah's abundant bioenergy potential, estimated at over 800MW, is being positioned as a new growth area. ECoS is working on policies that cap biomass exports, encourage methane capture, and support Government Linked Companies-led aggregation, while introducing premium tariffs for green electricity. 'Bioenergy is a hidden gem for Sabah. It's sustainable, scalable, and it creates rural income,' Nasser noted. While ramping up renewables, ECoS remains clear-eyed about energy security. Natural gas will continue to serve as a key transition fuel, bridging the shift to a greener grid. Sabah's strategy supports both the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and SE-RAMP 2040, ensuring national alignment with local priorities. Through the TVET Angkat ECoS programme, the agency is investing in vocational training, aligning curricula with industry needs, and equipping local youth to participate in, and benefit from, the energy transition. 'We don't just want to build infrastructure. We want to build people,' said Nasser. Looking ahead, Sabah is poised to become a regional energy hub. The long-planned Sabah-Sarawak grid interconnection, expected to be completed by the end of 2025, will enable cross-border electricity trade and support ASEAN energy integration. 'Our goal is to make Sabah a model of a just and sustainable energy transition,' Nasser said.
