Sarawak begins supplying power to Sabah as 275kV interconnection goes live

Hajiji (left) and Abang Johari hold a souvenir during the Sarawak–Sabah Power Grid Interconnection energisation ceremony in Kota Kinabalu on Jan 24, 2026. Photo credit: Information Department (Japen)

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Jan 24: Sarawak has officially begun supplying electricity to Sabah following the energisation of the 275kV Sarawak–Sabah Power Grid Interconnection, marking the first direct power exchange between the two States.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the interconnection, which commenced operations on Dec 13, 2025, strengthens supply reliability and operational flexibility by enabling power to flow from Sarawak to Sabah.

“This is energy resilience in its most practical sense. Resilience that gives businesses the confidence to invest, industries the assurance to expand, and communities the certainty that the electricity they depend on every day will remain reliable and secure,” he said at the official energisation ceremony held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) in Kota Kinabalu today.

The ceremony was co-officiated by Abang Johari and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor.

The interconnection is enabled through the 275kV Lawas–Mengalong transmission line and forms part of a 326-kilometre grid expansion involving 881 transmission towers. It currently supplies up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Sarawak to Sabah, with capacity to increase subject to system readiness.

The Sarawak–Sabah link is the second regional power interconnection in Borneo after the Sarawak–West Kalimantan interconnection commissioned in 2016, and forms part of the proposed Borneo Grid.

Looking ahead, Abang Johari said Sarawak is ready to take on a greater role in regional energy development, noting that the State has agreed in principle with Brunei to develop a power interconnection for exports by around 2030, has secured conditional approval for the Sarawak–Singapore interconnection to export up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy by the mid-2030s or earlier, and is currently undertaking feasibility studies for a similar power link to Peninsular Malaysia. — DayakDaily