TNB warns of outages

POSSIBLE POWER CRISIS: millions in selangor and klang valley may be affected if car project is postponed further

KANGAR: BESIDES water cuts, millions of people in Selangor and other parts of the Klang Valley could face possible power disruption if a vital power supply project is further delayed.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) vice-president (transmission) Datuk Rozimi Remeli said yesterday areas in Selangor and the Klang Valley would face serious power supply disruption if the Central Reinforcement Area (CAR) project was postponed further.

He told Bernama that this was due to the increasing need for energy in the central region.

“We have held 27 meetings with the Selangor Action Council and hope the Selangor government will quickly make a decision to ensure the supply infrastructure is completed.” The CAR project, which began in 2005, involves the installation of 60km of high-voltage cables between Bukit Tarek in Rawang and Kampung Chubadak, Sentul.

The project had been put off for the past four years following objections by locals there, with a remaining distance of 1.5km in Kampung Sungai Terentang, Rawang, to be completed.

Rozimi said TNB had spent RM300 million to implement the national grid to ensure the country, especially the Klang Valley and Selangor, had sufficient power supply.

“Currently, investors look at our stable power supply system as a reason to invest in the country, but they may leave if this is disrupted.” Rozimi said TNB, at the same time, continued efforts to improve the national grid nationwide.

A total of RM1 billion had been allocated this year to implement the national grid infrastructure.

Of that amount, 95 per cent had already been used, he added.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai had said the Selangor government’s failure to resolve the CAR issue could cause power failure in a few states and Kuala Lumpur next month.

Lim had said in April that Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had promised to resolve the issue last December during the Selangor Economic Action Council meeting.

"I attended the meeting and Khalid promised to meet the villagers two weeks later. However, it has been close to three months and he has not set foot in the village."

Lim had said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat-led government had given empty promises that it would resolve various issues in the state after taking over the state.

"The installation of the cables is important. If the project is not implemented, the whole country will face power failures. Other problems can be postponed, but issues that involve important infrastructure for the benefit of the people need to be resolved as soon as possible."

Lim had also said TNB had even agreed to alternative solutions following a protest by the villagers who feared their health and quality of life would be affected by the high-voltage electricity flow over the village if the project was implemented.

TNB wants to install high-voltage cables over the villagers' land under CAR to supply electricity from power stations in Perak to several states to reduce the burden on other stations.

Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are also expected to face a water crisis in 2014 following the Selangor government's objections to the Federal Government's Langat 2 water project, which draws water from Pahang.

The state government had held to its view that there would be sufficient treated water supply until 2019. However, this view is not supported by facts.

A Selangor government spokes-man, when contacted, said the ball was in TNB's court.

"The state has proposed for the route to be changed. The high-voltage cables do not have to go through Kampung Sungai Terentang.

"An independent engineer from Australia agreed that the cables do not have to pass through the village.

"The cables can be installed along Rawang's old road instead."

Meanwhile, Selangor Barisan Nasional coordinator Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said the state government had gained the reputation of making every single negotiation difficult if it did not get its way.

"First, it is water. Now, power. These are the basic needs of the people, yet they are concerned about their political dividends rather than solving these problems."