Regional Power: Sembcorp, Sarawak Energy partner with Prysmian for hydropower import project

By Romel S. Gurky

Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, and Sarawak Energy Services Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sarawak Energy Berhad, have entered into a preferred supplier agreement with Prysmian, a global leader in high-voltage submarine and underground cable systems. This partnership aims to support the development of a subsea interconnector cable for importing green electricity from Sarawak, Malaysia to Singapore.

The collaboration, which includes technical partner SP PowerInterconnect, focuses on optimizing the design, installation methodology, and protection requirements for the proposed subsea cable, which is expected to facilitate the import of up to 1 GW of renewable electricity. The project is subject to regulatory approvals before it can proceed.

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In 2021, Singapore's energy regulator, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sarawak Energy Berhad to explore the possibility of importing renewable electricity from Sarawak via a subsea interconnector.

Sarawak Energy, Malaysia's largest renewable energy developer operates several hydropower plants in Sarawak, including the Murum Hydroelectric Plant and the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant.

Editing by Alexander Ginting