Now it is Energy Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Tajuddin Ali's turn to press the case, saying it is a "real option" and Peninsular Malaysia will need power from Sarawak if the government defers plans to build a nuclear power plant. "It (bringing power from Sarawak) is a possibility," he told reporters after delivering the opening address at the 3rd Energy Forum here yesterday. He confirmed that the government is still considering transporting energy from Sarawak although the RM10 billion project was shelved just over a year ago. However, he stressed that doing this would delay the country's nuclear power plans but not abolish it altogether. Back in April, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) chairman Tan Sri Leo Moggie said the cable project may be revived, especially with concerns over nuclear power. He said that other hydropower projects with a potential of up to 28,000 megawatts (MW) could be developed in Sarawak to feed the Peninsula. Sarawak is expected to have surplus supply of electricity when the Bakun hydroelectric plant comes on stream this year. Currently the total consumption of electricity in Peninsular Malaysia is about 15,000 megawatts (MW) and could face a power shortage by 2015 based on the government's targeted economic growth rate of 6 per cent per year for the next five years. Electricity demand in the peninsula has been growing between 5 and 8 per cent every year. In order to cope with the anticipated increase in demand, over 10,000MW of new and replacement generation capacity will be required in the peninsula from now to 2020, involving an estimated RM40 billion to RM50 billion of investments. "If we can bring 1,000MW to 2,000MW from Sarawak then we will be able to meet the demand for about two to three years," Tajuddin said. On the country's nuclear power programme, the official position is to continue planning until a formal decision is made by the government. But if the decision is not to continue then other alternative sources of power must be found using conventional fuel, gas and renewable energy. "Any shortfall in the supply capacity, for example by a decision to defer or even not to adopt the nuclear option, will mean that alternative capacity from another source or a combination of sources will have to be found," he said. To meet the projected demand for power in the nation, the EC has identified the need for possibly six units of 750MW each of combined-cycle gas turbine units, three in 2016 and another three in 2017. "The planting-up sequence for 2018 and beyond has not been firmed up yet," he said.
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