Coal Remains Main Electricity Source To Ensure Affordable Energy Supply - Akmal Nasrullah

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 (Bernama) – The government is maintaining coal as the primary source of electricity generation due to its lower production costs and to ensure electricity tariffs remain affordable for consumers, said Energy Transition and Water Transformation Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.

He said the government is committed to providing sufficient and sustainable electricity supply at rates accessible to the public.

“Malaysia's electricity generation still relies heavily on coal and gas as the main fossil fuel sources to meet base load demand.

“However, the government remains focused on balancing energy affordability while exploring cleaner and more sustainable energy options,” he said during question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara today.

He was responding to Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew, who asked about the current percentage of electricity generated from coal and whether there are plans to transition to net-zero carbon technologies.

Akmal Nasrullah said based on the latest data presented at the Planning and Implementation Committee for Electricity Supply and Tariff (JPPPET) meeting on Nov 21 last year, coal accounts for 36.4 per cent or 12,183 megawatts of installed capacity in Peninsular Malaysia.

“The JPPPET meeting on Feb 7, 2023, decided that no new coal-fired power plants will be built, in line with the Power Development Plan (PDP) projections.

“This decision supports Malaysia's commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” he said.

He added that the government is continuously exploring methods to cut carbon emissions in electricity generation, including mothballing, co-firing, and adopting new clean energy technologies, with nuclear power among the options under consideration.

-- BERNAMA