Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s electricity generation reserve margin is expected to reach 26 per cent by year-end, up from eight per cent in 2024, as the State records improvements in its power supply system.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the reserve margin had reached 19 per cent as of August, while the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) improved from 598 minutes in 2023 to 226 minutes as of July this year.
He said the improvements followed Sabah taking over regulatory control of electricity and renewable energy in 2024, which allowed the State to expedite approvals previously handled by the Federal Energy Commission.
Hajiji, who chaired the Sabah Energy Council meeting at Menara Kinabalu on Monday, said proposed gas-fired power plants in Sandakan and Tawau were also being planned to strengthen East Coast supply and replace high-cost diesel and Medium Fuel Oil-based power plants.
He said additional Large-Scale Solar capacity and Battery Energy Storage Systems through competitive bidding would further strengthen generation, while the State remained committed to achieving a 50 per cent renewable energy capacity mix by 2035.
