THE broken down 40MW capacity power barge anchored in Batu Sapi has been out of operation many months ago. The twin 20MW jet-turbine electricity power generated has not been producing electricity as it should be for a long time now.
These generators have been malfunctioned due to mechanical fault and one of the unit faced a major breakdown few months ago that needed total overhaul to its jet-turbine. Some turbine plates had come off and smashed the whole unit into beyond repair. The spare parts are expected to arrive in the middle of April 2010, and it needs another few more months to install in position before the jet engine can be turn on.
At the moment, only one unit left to produce power up to 20MW. The point is, how long is this remaining unit going to last, because these are old jet turbine power generators, and they can break down anytime. With their old age, their power generation efficiency has drop terribly.
During the visit by Sabah DAP Batu Sapi Branch Chairman George Hiew Vun Tzen and member Alex Chong, it is observed that the power barge was not in operation. George said that why an expensive piece of power generation equipment is left to float on the sea and doing nothing, while the people in Sandakan is facing power shortage and disruption.
The Sandakan power woes is not by far over with the installation of the 15 units rented second hand emergency mobile power generators installed to produce 20MW. The Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Peter Chin Fah Kui replied a question by Dr. Hiew King Cheu in Parliament, the KK MP asked on why the second hand power generators were used, he said that it is due to the rush to source for the mobile gen-sets and new units are not available. In the real fact, the Sabah power woes especially in Sandakan is existed for more then 16 years since BN took over the Sabah Government.
The BN Sabah government did nothing positive to solve the power problem once for all. If they are truly wanted to help the Sabahan, they could have built big power plants for us many years ago and not to bring us rented second hand sets which faced break down seriously.
Why can’t the government immediately build a diesel-fuel power station of 100 MW in Sandakan to cater for the short term power improvement scheme? The people’s need is more important than the SESB to earn money and save cost. Don’t forget we pay our electricity bill regularly and on time, and there is no “I O U” business with the bill.
-Sabahkini.net
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