Delivering reliable power MANJUNG
Janamanjung celebrates 20 years of electricity generation, while preserving the environment
THE Sultan Azlan Shah Power Station (SJSAS) has won the hearts of the community in Teluk Rubiah, Perak, since it was built 20 years ago. Despite some initial reservations from the residents of this reclaimed island, SJSAS, also known as Janamanjung, is generating 4,100 MegaWatts of electricity to the national grid.
The 325-hectare island was reclaimed in 1998 and the power station began operating in 2003.
Janamanjung has since contributed to 25 per cent of electricity generation in Peninsular Malaysia.
POWERING ECONOMIC GROWTH
The supply of power was a catalyst to the growth of economic development and has since transformed the area into a vibrant small town.
The locals have benefited from having this power station as 323 out of 567 SJSAS employees, or 56 per cent, are from Perak with 79 per cent of them hailing from Manjung.
It has brought good business to local vendors as they get more opportunities including for supplying goods and services sector.
The town is also made complete with power supply as it was able to establish services, education, administration and commercial facilities.
Workshop owner Zulfinaini Safie, 60, said TNB Janamanjung Sdn Bhd (TNBJ) spurred business growth as more people came to Manjung.
He said the value of real estate in the area also soared with high demand for property rentals and sales.
Seafood products trader, Jamilah Baharudin, 54, said she was enjoying brisk business in Lumut for the past 10 years despite experiencing a sluggish start in the early 1990s.
“I have enjoyed greater profit and I am able to open a second outlet for my business,” she said.
TNBJ managing director Datuk Shamsul Ahmad said since TNB set foot on the reclaimed island, they have taken proactive measures to empower locals with job opportunities and
We have been conducting a series of engagement with the residents as well as nongovernmental organisations, to help them understand the way we operate and how we care for the environment. DATUK SHAMSUL AHMAD TNB Janamanjung Sdn Bhd (TNBJ) managing director
groom them to venture into business.
“All of our contract employees are from Manjung and 200 local vendors have registered with TNBJ for business opportunities,” he said.
PROMOTING A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
Meanwhile, Shamsul said the modern and efficient power plant reaffirmed TNB’s commitment on caring for the environment.
“Before its construction, a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out to protect and conserve the surrounding flora and fauna of the mangrove,” he said.
Shamsul said TNBJ adopted modern technology to ensure clean electricity generation from the power plant, which houses three 700MW generating facilities; namely Manjung 1, Manjung 2 and Manjung 3; and two 1000MW generating facilities; Manjung 4 and Manjung 5.
“Our plant is the first coal-fired power plant in the country designed to use clean coal combustion technology such as Pulverised Fuel Firing (PFF), Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD), Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP), low sulphur sub-bituminous grade coal, low nitrogen oxide burners and provision for 200m chimneys to exhaust steam.
“Whilst our Manjung 4, which began commercial operations on April 14, 2015, uses the ultra-supercritical (USC) technology, the first in Southeast Asia,” he said.
Manjung 5, which began commercial operation on Sept 29, 2017, was also fitted with the USC technology.
“We are aware of the need to sustain the environment we are in, and we always give our best to safeguard and sustain it. The use of USC technology has enabled Manjung 4 and Manjung 5 to provide energy more efficiently, burning less coal for more power.”
On preserving the environment, Shamsul said the plant has met all the regulations and requirements set by the Department of Environment (DOE) and World Bank.
To monitor the environment, TNBJ has installed the Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) at its five generating facilities to monitor smoke density, particulate, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide.
“All these emission parameters are being monitored online by DOE,” he said during a visit to the power plant recently.
In terms of air quality around the power plant, Shamsul said it is being monitored at three locations, within 5-kilometre (km) radius.
“The ambient air quality is monitored within the compound of the power plant itself, at Sekolah Menengah Teknik Seri Manjung within 3km radius and at TNB Distribution office in Seri Manjung (5km).
“While carrying out our business, we are also complying with emission standards.”
Shamsul said further mitigation comes from TNBJ’s effective industrial waste water treatment plant and coal yard waste water treatment plants, which treat effluents from various sources and from the coal stock yard.
“We also trap any oily water and prevent it from being discharged to the sea, along with ash ponds to store surplus fly ash and bottom ash from the plant,” he said adding that the ash pond was designed to handle 25-year power station’s ash disposal.
He said the fly ash collected will be sold to the cement companies.
“For example, the cement for the construction of Kuala Lumpur Twin Tower came from the fly ash. We also conducted dust dispersion study and the result showed that most of the dust comes from the road dust,” he said.
Instead of using social media, TNBJ also believes that personal engagement is the best way to address any issues about perception towards the plant.
“When we talk about coal power plants people always associate it with pollution. Thus, we have been conducting a series of engagement with the residents as well as non-governmental organisations, to help them understand the way we operate and how we care for the environment.
“Sometimes, we even invite them to come and see the plant. Now, even the residents will help to defend us because they already understand the way we operate and how we comply with all the environment regulations.”
He said besides engagement with the residents, TNBJ has also made a commitment to plant 1,000 mangroves every year, since 2014.
This year, TNB is planning to plant 3,200 mangroves and hopes to plant a total of 25,000 mangroves in the next few years.