IPP plan for every house outside SESB’s jurisdiction

KOTA KINABALU (Nov 18): Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Shareda)’s plan for every house in Sabah to become mini independent power producers (IPP) is outside of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB)’s jurisdiction, said SESB chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

“I am aware of a recent report where Shareda president Datuk Sr Chua Soon Ping had said that SESB disapproves, etc., and I think it is not very accurate.

“SESB is just a utility company that is also doing business. We do not have that power, the one that has it is the Energy Commission. It is outside our jurisdiction.

“But if anyone wants to use solar power to generate energy with the intention of selling to SESB, then we can discuss in terms of tariff and whether our grid can accommodate them.

“And everyone is free to use solar power for home use. In fact, we encourage this considering the current lack of energy generation,” Madius told reporters during SESB’s appreciation night at Pacific Sutera hotel here on Friday.

Chua had recently expressed the association wants every house in Sabah to be installed with a solar panel and become a mini independent power producer (IPP) as in January next year, SESB will have to report to the Energy Commision of Sabah (ECoS) and no longer to Kuala Lumpur.

The Shareda president explained that the mini IPPs can gather energy from sunlight during daytime and pass it to SESB’s main grid, and by night time, when there is no more sunlight, the homeowners can use the power from SESB to help homeowners save on electricity bills.

However, he claimed that SESB disapproved of it and would not allow for the installation of solar panels to be connected to the main grid as it would be a loss for them, adding that this was very short-sighted of SESB.

“We are actually appealing to the Sabah Energy Commission to impose on them (SESB) to accept. Because KL accepts, why can’t Sabah have it? Sarawak accepts except Sabah because SESB will not comply,” Chua said.