KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Electricity has set an ambitious goal of reducing its System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) to 100 minutes by 2030, marking a major milestone in efforts to enhance power reliability in Sabah and Labuan.
In 2012, the SAIDI for these regions was approximately 1,000 minutes. The SESB team's dedicated efforts have drastically reduced this figure to 220 minutes as of 2024.
Sabah Electricity chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wilfred Madius Tangau said lower SAIDI values reflect a more stable power supply, with some areas now reporting impressively low two-digit SAIDI values.
For instance, Kota Kinabatangan recorded 53.23 minutes, Kunak 30.17 minutes and Lahad Datu 42.77 minutes.
Areas like the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (POIC) logged single-digit SAIDI figures below 10 minutes.
Several factors contribute to SESB's SAIDI improvements, including adequate energy supply reserves.
Currently, SESB maintains a reserve margin below 12 per cent, a critical level, especially during peak demand periods or power plant disruptions, which can lead to supply shortages.
SESB estimates a minimum reserve capacity of 30 per cent is needed to prevent power rationing.
As an interim solution, SESB has installed rental generators at key locations in Labuan, Sandakan, and Lahad Datu to boost energy supply by over 100 MW.
Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) approved a short-term SESB project in September to install a 94 MW gas turbine generator in Kimanis, expected to be operational by June 2025.
Looking ahead, SESB has embarked on a green energy project: a 100 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Lahad Datu, also set to be completed by June next year.
Earlier, he said the rebranding of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd to Sabah Electricity aligns with the government's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
This initiative reflects SESB's commitment to environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.
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