Sarawak: Sarawak continues to strengthen its role as a green energy hub and a regional grid integration centre through the Sarawak-Sabah Power Grid Interconnection Project. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state is well-positioned to share its power resources with its Borneo neighbours, namely Sabah, Brunei, and Kalimantan, for mutual benefit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abang Johari highlighted the state’s abundant renewable energy resources, especially hydropower, during the energisation of the grid at the Sabah International Convention Centre. Both Abang Johari and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor jointly officiated the energisation of the 275-kilovolt transmission line between the two Borneo states.

Electricity has been flowing from Sarawak to Sabah since December last year following the successful system synchronisation by the grid system operators of both states. Meanwhile, Abang Johari mentioned that Sarawak is also exploring the development of cascading hydropower sources and floating solar installations on existing reservoirs to increase its generating capacity to 10 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and 15GW by 2035.

In line with Sarawak’s Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, the Premier stated that the Sarawak-Sabah interconnection project supports inclusive and sustainable economic growth while enhancing electricity reliability and fostering economic activity across both states. The project advances the objectives of the Sarawak Energy Transition Policy (SET-P) by enabling Sarawak to share its renewable energy resources, contributing to a more balanced and lower-carbon energy mix for the region.

At the national level, this project contributes significantly to Malaysia’s energy transition goals, strengthens national energy security, and demonstrates how state-level collaboration supports long-term sustainability goals outlined in the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NET-R).