The RM4.1 billion (US$1 billion) Murum Hydro Electric Plant (HEP) was opened today by the Tuan Yang Terutama Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud and witnessed by the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem as well as local politicians, RECODA Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot, community leaders and the top management of state energy supplier, Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB).
The opening of the dam is yet another milestone for the SCORE region. The 944MW gravity dam is located on the river after which it is named, at the highest part of the Rajang River basin, 200 km from Bintulu. It will meet almost a third of the demand generated by the SCORE region with the remainder taken up by the Bakun HEP and the upcoming Balingian Coal Fired Plant.
“The Murum Dam is the pinacle of our efforts. We can rely on our experience with the Murum dam to teach and help the people if there is the need for us to develop more hydro dams in future,” said Pehin Sri Taib.
In his speech, the Chief Minister added that hydropower is a clean, inexpensive and safe energy source thus making it attractive to investors, which augurs well for the greater growth of energy intensive industries in the state.
“Of all the sources of energy, we find that hydropower is the cleanest and the least expensive source of energy,” he told the media in a briefing later.
He also added that more than 50 per cent of power in the state is now generated by hydropower.
Murum HEP is SEB’s first hydropower development project under SCORE and is seen as the beginning of bigger and better things to come to the state.