Sarawak Energy Commissions Malaysia’s First Utility-Scale Battery Storage System

KUCHING, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) has commissioned Malaysia’s first utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the Sejingkat Power Plant.  

SEB said in a statement today that the 60-megawatt (MW) BESS, which was energised in December 2024, provides essential grid services, including primary spinning reserve (emergency reserve), voltage and frequency regulation, as well as peak demand management.  

It said these services support the overall optimisation of power generation and grid systems.  

“This investment also enables the trial of BESS’s ability to integrate intermittent renewable energy sources, such as solar.  

“This aligns with Sarawak’s ambition to achieve high-income status by 2030 under the Sarawak Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which identifies renewable energy as a key enabler of the state’s sustainable economic progress,” it said.  

The Sejingkat Power Plant, Borneo’s first and Malaysia’s second coal-fired power station, was commissioned in 1998 and is being gradually phased out. 

SEB said this transition reflects its commitment to environmental responsibility and reducing carbon emissions.  

Meanwhile, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state government plans to expand BESS initiatives across Sarawak, particularly in rural areas.  

“Because it is mobile, it can be charged and relocated. SEB currently stores the batteries in 22 containers, making them deployable to rural areas to boost energy supply where needed.  

“If this proves successful, we can expand the initiative further. BESS can also be used at hydroelectric dam sites and serve as a hybrid energy solution for our power plants,” he told reporters after visiting the Sejingkat facility today.  

-- BERNAMA