Kubota project according to procedure: Sesb

Kota Kinabalu: The proposal for the construction of the Kubota Power Plant project is in compliance with procedures and project implementation requirements as stipulated.

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) Senior General Manager (Asset Development), Abd Nasser Abd Wahid, said in a statement that the project included all development projects implemented by SESB statewide and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

"Prior written disclosures were sent to related agencies to get approval for the project in the proposed location," he said.

Abd Nasser said approval for the development plan for the project was obtained in November last year and site preparation was only started after a written approval was received from all the related agencies.

Prior to this, a local newspaper recently quoted a statement from a non-government organisation, here, which claimed that the RM70 million power plant project would negatively affect the area around the project.

Besides that, he said specific sound and smoke impact studies on the construction of the station to the surrounding areas were also carried out prior to this, and they were in accordance with project requirement.

He said the report on the result of the study indicated that direct impact from the project, namely, impact of sound and smoke, adhered to conditions stipulated by the Department of Environment (DOE).

"The study was conducted by registered experts who were recognized by DOE and experienced in the field as required, before the approval for the implementation of the project is given," he said.

Source: Daily Express

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‘Power station won’t harm Tawau environment’

TAWAU: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) said the Kubota Power Station to temporarily ease the electricity supply shortage in the east coast, will not cause harm to the environment.

SESB managing director Abd Razak Sallim said the Department of Environment made the finding after conducting research and studies.

The project, which is located about 5km from the town centre and has a generating capacity of 64MW, had received protest from nearby residents of Taman Milenium due to what they claim as too close to the housing estate.

Abd Razak said SESB and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had to find a more stable supply of electricity with the cancellation of the construction of coal power plants in the east coast of Sabah.

An alternative solution was identified immediately upon the termination, which is undertaking the construction of gas turbine generators worth RM80 million at the Power Station (SJ) Kubota, East Road, Tawau.

In a press statement yesterday, he said the justification of the project at Kubota Power Station is a short-term project which is especially critical to the stability of electric supply in the east coast division which at this point imports 16MW to 164MW of electricity per day from the west coast.

Abd Razak said the capacity of existing electricity generation (power stations in Tawau) can only generate 64MW per day compared to the peak load demand (peak demand), which has reached 80MW and is expected to increase to 96MW in 2015.

The project is categorized under “Fast Track” and is very important to be implemented as soon as possible, he said, given that the new power stations for larger capacity such as SJ Kimanis Power (300MW), SJ SPR Energy (100MW) and LNG (300MW) are expected to be fully operational only in 2014 and 2016.

“At present SESB and TNB are working hard to ensure the SJ Kubota project will begin operations in June 2012,” he added.

He said with the establishment of the power station in the future, it would help reduce the impact of supply disruptions in the area, especially when there are any problems or unforeseen events on the Sabah Grid Interconnection which is also the only export transmission lines for supply to the east coast.

He said a more stable supply of electricity would be able to contribute to the increase of investment to generate a more vibrant economic development in the east coast.

The project, he said, would also contribute to the smooth running of business operations management and daily living needs of local communities.

“SESB would like to emphasize that the location was chosen based on the following factors such as the site is owned by SESB since the 90s, it does not involve the process of land acquisition which will take some time,” he said.

He said it is the main site intake (main substation) and therefore can reduce costs and simplify and expedite the delivery of logistics.

The station will not operate at all times and will only operate during peak load which is usually between 8am to 6pm on weekdays.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/30/power-station-wont-harm-tawau-environment/#ixzz1tftSaf5W

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