Sarawak is set to strengthen its renewable energy portfolio with the development of a large-scale floating solar farm at the Bakun hydroelectric dam reservoir, scheduled for commissioning by 2027. The initial phase of the project is projected to deliver up to 300 megawatts (MW) of solar power, with the potential to scale up to 1,000MW.
Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili confirmed that the first phase of development is targeted for completion within the next 18 to 24 months. This follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in Shanghai last week at the International Solar Photovoltaic and Smart Energy Conference. The MoU, involving the Sarawak Utility and Telecommunication Ministry, China Three Gorges International Ltd (CTGI), and Shanghai Electric Power T&D Group Co Ltd, sets a framework for joint feasibility studies and development planning.
The Bakun site, which features a vast water surface, is seen as highly suitable for floating solar infrastructure. Datuk Sharbini noted that a successful implementation could see the Bakun installation become the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
“Should the initial 300MW phase be delivered successfully, we envisage expanding its capacity over the coming years, positioning Sarawak as a leader in floating solar generation in the region,” he said.
Commissioned in 2011, the 2,400MW Bakun power plant on the upper Rajang River is Southeast Asia’s largest and tallest hydroelectric facility, featuring a 695 sq km reservoir. SEB acquired the plant from Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd for RM2.5 billion in 2017 and it currently supplies firm energy of 1,771MW, depending on grid demand.
Energy produced from the Bakun facility supports energy-intensive industries such as aluminium and ferroalloy smelting in the Samalaju Industrial Park, under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
SEB also owns the 944MW Murum and 108MW Batang Ai hydro plants and is constructing the 1,285MW Baleh hydroelectric dam. All three hydro plants are situated upstream of Belaga town in the Kapit Division.
In addition to the Bakun project, Sarawak is exploring another large-scale floating solar installation at the Murum dam reservoir. This initiative is being pursued in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Gentari, under a joint study agreement signed in November 2024. The study, expected to run for a year, aims to evaluate the feasibility of developing up to 1,000MW of solar generation capacity.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg reaffirmed the state’s commitment to clean energy development, stating that SEB is targeting a solar generation capacity of 1,500MW by 2030. He also highlighted that Sarawak’s first floating solar project, a 50MW hybrid installation at Batang Ai, became operational in late 2023 and serves as Malaysia’s first hydro-solar integration.
Building on this foundation, SEB is actively exploring additional large-scale floating solar opportunities in collaboration with regional and international partners as well as independent power producers.
In a keynote address delivered on his behalf at the Shanghai conference by Deputy Minister for Utility (Sarawak Energy and Petros) Datuk Ibrahim Baki, who also chairs SEB, the Premier underscored Sarawak’s broader solar agenda. This includes rural solar-hybrid electrification, hydrogen-integrated solar systems, and the net energy metering scheme for residential adoption.
SEB’s long-term targets include generating 10 gigawatts (GW) of energy by 2030 and expanding this to 15GW by 2035, reinforcing Sarawak’s aspiration to become a regional hub for renewable energy.
With current generation capacity standing at 5,898MW—over 60% of which is hydropower—Sarawak also relies on indigenous thermal sources to ensure energy reliability.
The Premier noted that Sarawak is positioning itself as ASEAN’s renewable energy and battery powerhouse, with plans to export energy to neighbouring regions. The successful cross-border energy export to West Kalimantan in 2016 laid the groundwork for future interconnections with Sabah, Brunei Darussalam, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore via subsea cable infrastructure.
He also invited global stakeholders to participate in the Sarawak Energy Renewable Energy and Sustainability Forum, which will take place in Kuching on 3 and 4 September 2025.
-The Star
