PETALING JAYA: The impact of the Putra Heights gas pipeline fire on April 1 is now reaching commercial users in Penang, with customers in the Perai industrial zone reporting natural gas supply disruptions.
In a statement yesterday, Gas Malaysia Bhd said the gas supply curtailment is expected to affect customers in Perak’s Merbau, Tronoh and Hutan Melintang, along with those in Junjung, Kedah.
“The previously announced curtailment period remains unchanged and is still expected to continue until April 20. However due to operational limitations arising from the Putra Heights incident, we have been informed of new affected areas and customers,” the statement read.
On April 2, Gas Malaysia announced a supply curtailment for customers in Selangor covering Shah Alam, Kundang, Petaling Jaya, Teluk Panglima Garang, Pelabuhan Klang and Pulau Indah, among others.
On April 3, The Italian Baker Sdn Bhd, which manufactures bread sold under the Massimo brand, among others, announced that production will be on hold until an unspecified date following gas supply disruptions to its factory in Pulau Indah.
Underscoring the scale of the situation, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said on April 5 that about 200 firms have been affected by gas curtailment, posing significant challenges to operational and business continuity as they are reliant on a reliable flow of gas for production.
“Even those with robust business continuity plans are not spared, as their suppliers, many of whom lack such contingency measures, are equally affected,” said Soh, adding that this incident has potential to affect investor confidence in Malaysia.
In a statement yesterday, the Energy Commission (ST) confirmed that four power stations in Klang Valley were affected.
“The management of ST, in collaboration with key operational stakeholders in the gas and electricity supply sectors, including the grid system operator, single buyer, Gas Malaysia, independent power producers, PETRONAS, and TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd, are actively monitoring the status of electricity and gas supply across Peninsular Malaysia.
“Efforts are focused on assessing the impact of the gas supply disruption, mitigation measures and interim plans, considering various scenarios until the situation is fully resolved,” it said.
“Gas supply is currently available in limited capacity, with priority given to critical services such as hospitals and electricity generation as well as for gas pipeline pressure stabilisation,” said the commission.
According to Michael Joseph, a consultant specialising in power generation, while a few power plants were affected, there is adequate reserve margin and fuel mix such as coal, fuel oil, hydropower and solar photovoltaic to sustain electricity generation.
“This incident shows that balancing the energy mix reduces dependence on a single source of energy, and there is a need to manage a portfolio of energy sources to ensure affordable and reliable access to energy,” he said.
