Federal Government to Tackle Sabah’s Electricity Issues with Major Projects: Deputy PM Fadillah
26/01/2025 18:30 MYT, / TUARAN: The Federal Government has outlined ambitious plans to address persistent electricity supply challenges in Sabah by launching several large-scale power generation projects. These efforts are expected to boost the state’s power reserve margin to 30% by 2030, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah, who also serves as the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, revealed that one of the immediate steps involves importing power from Sarawak this year. Other initiatives include constructing a 100MW power plant in 2026 and 2027 and developing a large-scale 100MW solar farm scheduled for next year.
“With Sabah’s strategic efforts to expand its power generation capacity, the Federal Government is optimistic that the state’s electricity supply issues can be effectively addressed,” Fadillah said during the Sabah Electricity Community Program and the joint 2024 Christmas and 2025 Chinese New Year Open House event held here today.
The event was attended by several key figures, including Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, and Sabah Electricity Chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
Federal Support and Investments
Fadillah also disclosed that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), has allocated RM102.9 million this year to strengthen Sabah’s electricity services.
“Following the handover of regulatory authority for Sabah’s electricity supply, I urge the state government to remain committed to resolving these challenges and meeting the growing energy demands,” he said.
He assured that PETRA stands ready to assist and provide guidance whenever needed, emphasizing the Federal Government’s dedication to working closely with Sabah on this agenda.
Long-Term Subsidy Commitments
In addition to infrastructure projects, the Federal Government has earmarked RM3.54 billion in subsidies for Sabah Electricity from 2024 to 2030. This allocation will cover fuel subsidies, large-scale solar initiatives, tariff support, and renewable energy subsidies under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program.
“These initiatives will ensure that the people of Sabah enjoy a more reliable and sustainable electricity supply system,” Fadillah concluded.
