NEWS & UPDATES

KUCHING, 24th March 2015: Sarawak Energy has received approval for its Social and Environment Impact Assessment (SEIA) on Baleh Hydro Electric Project (HEP) from Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) Sarawak on March 13, 2015.

The news was announced by Sarawak Energy’s CEO, Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit at the first session of the Media Workshop on Sarawak Energy’s Business Operations held at Menara Sarawak Energy today.

Commenting on the SEIA approval, Sarawak Energy Chief Executive Officer Datuk Torstein Dale Sjotveit said, Sarawak Energy will move forward with the next step of approval and hope to start the project by next year.

“Baleh HEP would help to meet the strong growth in industrial demand for electricity.  This was a result of the success of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) in drawing investors from energy intensive industries to Samalaju Industrial Park.  This has also provided employment opportunities for Sarawakians, maintaining the state’s momentum in striving for a high-income economy.  

“This is aligned with Sarawak’s vision for sustainable growth and prosperity, which Sarawak Energy is helping to deliver by meeting the need for secure, reliable, renewable energy through projects such as Baleh.

 “As a member of the International Hydropower Association (IHA), Sarawak Energy is committed to undertake the project in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol.  

Datuk Torstein also thanked the community in Baleh for the support and cooperation given throughout the preparation of the SEIA report.

 “The implementation of Baleh HEP will progress our plans to power and spur development in Sarawak and the people stand the benefit in so many ways. The community in Baleh itself understands this and thus we have received positive response from them. We thank the community for their support and will continue working hand and gloves with them,” he added.

Baleh HEP  will be built with a Concrete Faced Rockfill dam with installed capacity of 1285MW.

The project is aimed for completion by 2024.

There will be no resettlement involved in the development of the project.

Baleh HEP is located on the Baleh River about 95 km from its confluence with the Rajang River in the Kapit Division.