January 20, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- Tenaga Nasional Bhd said work on the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam was progressing as scheduled and all tender documents expected to be ready by this March.
"Basically all the survey work is ongoing. All the consultants for the preparation of tender document for transmission have been appointed," said its President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Che Kalib Mohamad Noh after announcing TNB's first quarter financial results here Wednesday.
TNB plans on bringing 1,600 megawatt (MW) and 800 MW electricity respectively by 2015 and 2017 to Peninsular Malaysia.
Commenting on speculation that the electric power supply would not be channelled to Peninsular Malaysia, he said the project was decided by the government and TNB had not heard anything that said otherwise.
Meanwhile, he said all the contracts could be awarded by April for the planned hydropower plant in Hulu Terengganu, while TNB was analysing the prices submitted by contractors for the planned Hulu Jelai plant.
As for Hulu Jelai, TNB is still reviewing and "we are not in a rush to make a decision on this plant," he said.
On another note, Che Kalib said TNB expected the preliminary studies on the possibility of setting up a nuclear power plant in Malaysia, being carried out by Korean Electric Power Corp (KEPCO), to be completed by June.
"The setting up of a nuclear power plant requires a lot of studies and a lot of work needs to be done prior to even starting work on the plant," he said
Che Kalib said while TNB has not decided whether to go with nuclear power plant as an option, it was nevertheless important to conduct necessary studies to see the viability of having a nuclear power plant in Malaysia.
At the end of the day it is the government's decision on whether the country should pursue nuclear as an option.
"One has to take note that going forward in the future, we have to determine what sort of energy generation we need in order to meet demand post 2020.
"This is because Malaysia does not have enough gas as it has been used maximum and as for coal, people are looking at reducing carbon emission. So, the only natural thing to do is either to look aggresively at the energy that can be generated using hydro in Sarawak or we have to go to nuclear," he elaborated.
Commenting on the increase in coal price, Che Kalib said TNB had no plans for tariff revision.
"Price is shooting up due to a bad winter. At the moment, we can manage the price," he said.
