KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will soon see an end to their power woes with the fast tracking of two power plants.

A new 100-megawatt diesel plant, expected to be completed within two years, will be built on the west coast of the state as an interim solution to the shortage of power.

And, said Energy, Water and Communication minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor, steps are being taken to speed up the commissioning of a 190-megawatt power plant under construction in Tuaran.

"The plant in Tuaran is scheduled to be completed next month and SESB is in the process of finalising the power purchase agreement," he said after a meeting with representatives from the state government, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

The meeting was held to discuss solutions to the unreliable power supply and frequent outages in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister and state Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan was also present.

Sabah's current power demand is 700 megawatts. The installed power capacity, including from independent power producers, is 768 megawatts.

Shaziman said the slight excess in installed power capacity is insufficient to ensure reliable power supply.

"A 25 per cent reserve margin is necessary to ensure a comfortable and reliable power supply," he said.

Sabah would need at least RM1.2 billion to bring the state's power supply to a reliable level, not only for power generation but improve power transmission and distribution, he said.

He also said the state government and TNB will discuss an alternative site for a proposed RM1.3 billion coal-fired power plant.

TNB had proposed building it in Silam, Lahad Datu but the state government rejected the site because it is too close to the biodiversity-rich Danum Valley, Maliau basin and Darvel Bay forest conservation area.

"Hopefully, the issue of an alternative site for the project, which has to be on the east coast of the state, will be resolved within the next two or three weeks," Shaziman said.

He said he hopes construction on the 300-megawatt plant can begin as soon as possible, as the east coast is expected to face an acute power shortage by 2011.