Headline Power grid upgrade MediaTitle New Sabah Times English (KK) Date 24 Jul 2018 Color Full Color Section Home Circulation 8,784 Page No 1 Readership 26,352 Language English ArticleSize 308 cm² Journalist N/A AdValue RM 1,693 Frequency Daily (EM) PR Value RM 5,079 2MAH CHE@ KFCH=@A KUALA LUMPUR: The govern- being considered is the Southern ment will upgrade the electricity Link project costing RM1.25 billion, grid in Sabah to increase elec- ‘Consumers which is the electricity line in the tricity supply from the west coast south (Sabah) to connect the west to east coast, said Minister of En- in Sabah coast to the east coast by connecting ergy, Technology, Science, Climate the Kalumpang-Mengalong grid. Change and Environment Yeo Bee experience “The existing line connecting the Yi n . west coast to the east coast is in the For that purpose, she said six electricity north of Sabah, so with the Southern projects for the grid reinforcement Link, the grid in Sabah will become and upgrading were identified as disruption 4.8 one loop to further improve the critical projects to ensure that the electricity distribution from west distribution capacity of between 200 times more often coast to east coast,” she said. to 400 megawatt (MW) could be Following that, she said the gov- achieved. than peninsula’ ernment set a target to reduce the “The six projects are upgrading of SAIDI rate in Sabah to 58 per cent to the 132 KiloVolt (kV) line to 275kV – Ye o 100 minutes/consumer/year by 2020. (Segaluid-Damrod); new 132kV “For 2017, the SAIDI rate in transmission line (Segaluid-Segun- Sabah is 241 minutes/consumer/year tor); new 132kv transmission line RM840 million and the completion SAIDI is an index used to measure compared to 50 minutes in Penin- (Sandakan-Elopura-Seguntor); new of all the projects are expected by the the duration of electricity supply sular Malaysia. This means for every Bukit Nanas main substation (PMU) end of 2021 or early 2022," she said disruption on consumers with a year, every consumer will experi- and PPU and new 132kV trans- when replying to a question from y e a r. ence electricity disruption for 241 mission line (TShun Nyen-San- Chan Foong Hin (PH-Kota Kin- In addition, Yeo said the gov- minutes of less than four hours. dakan-Seguntor); new 132kv Apas abalu) on the federal government’s ernment was also considering the “Electricity consumers in Sabah PMU and transmission line and the plan to reduce the System Average need to implement several other pro- experience electricity disruption 4.8 upgrading of the Sandakan, Lahad Interruption Index (SAIDI) in Sabah jects to improve electricity supply in times more often than electricity Datu and Tawau distribution lines. at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yes- Sabah. consumers in Peninsular Malaysia,” “The total cost of the project is t e r d a y. As an example, among the projects she said. – Bernama.