LUBOK ANTU: Efforts to strengthen the national energy mix will be intensified to ensure electricity supply security amid extreme weather changes that are beginning to affect existing resources, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the move is crucial to reduce reliance on any single energy source, particularly hydropower whose generation capacity is highly dependent on rainfall patterns.
Fadillah said unpredictable weather patterns could lead to lower water levels in dams, risking electricity supply stability if strong alternative sources are not in place.
“We cannot depend on a single source, whether hydro or gas. Instead, we need to expand other sectors such as biofuel and biomass as well as solar and wind energy.
“The challenge in the future is extreme weather. For example, today we can see that the lake here (in Batang Ai) has relatively low water levels due to the prolonged lack of rain.
“This could potentially affect our hydropower supply,” he said, Bernama reported.
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, was speaking to reporters after visiting the floating solar hybrid project at the Batang Ai hydroelectric dam.
On the project, he said the development of the 50MW floating solar facility is a strategic move to balance power generation in Sarawak, while also serving as a support mechanism for the existing grid.
Fadillah said the integration of hydro and solar technologies not only improves the efficiency of renewable energy utilisation but also strengthens the country’s resilience in facing global energy market uncertainties and rising demand from high-tech industries.
“The country’s future depends on who can control and produce their own energy resources.
“With close cooperation between federal and state governments and utility companies such as Sarawak Energy Bhd, we can remain competitive in the future,” he said.
