Four villages in Sebauh get power supply under Sares
KUCHING: A handing over ceremony was held yesterday to celebrate the installation and completion of Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) project to supply four villages in Sebauh, Bintulu with reliable off-grid electricity.
The event at Rumah Patrick Andin included the official handover of solar systems from Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) to representatives of Rumah Nompang, Rumah Lawai, Rumah Elwin Ugan and Rumah Palos – with a total of 102 households comprising 610 residents.
According to Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi, the Sarawak government had allocated RM2.37 billion slated for 2019/2020 period to accelerate rural electrification under the Rural Electrification Master Plan, aimed at realising the target of full electrification in Sarawak by 2025.
“We are seeing success as electricity coverage for Sarawak’s rural population had gone up to 93 per cent in 2019 through various initiatives under the master plan, including Sares which kicked off in 2016,” he said at the event yesterday.
For Bintulu Division, Dr Rundi said Sares had connected 17 villages in Sebauh and 18 villages in Tatau, lighting up 607 households of 3,300 residents; while another 21 projects in Tatau District are currently on-going and due for completion by early next year.
“By 2020, it is anticipated that Sares would have benefitted 5,100 residents in Bintulu Division with 24-hour reliable and renewable electricity supply.
“This is a gift from the government of Sarawak to our rural folk who don’t have the same access to utilities that the townsfolk have. Sares is making a big difference to the lives of the people here and in many other remote communities of Sarawak,” added the minister, who is kemena assemblyman.
According to him, each household is provided with 3,000 watt-hour (Wh) of renewable electricity supply daily – enough to power up their basic needs such as lighting, television and refrigerator.
“There’s less need for frequent travel to town to buy provisions as well as diesel for their former generator sets, providing convenience and ease.”
Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Assistant Minister of Utilities (Water Supply) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Assistant Minister of Utilities (Rural Electricity) Datuk Liwan Lagang, representatives from relevant agencies and local community leaders attended the ceremony.
SEB was represented by its vice-president (rural electrification) Dr Chen Shiun.
Sares is an initiative funded by the Sarawak government, through the Ministry of Utilities – with SEB acting as its implementation agent.
The ceremony also marked the completion of training for the local community to undertake simple operational and maintenance works.
Notably, SEB provided the technical support free of charge.