KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) staff are working on the two emergency restoration system (ERS) towers in Ranau to ensure it is completed according to schedule and ensure power supply stability on the east coast of the state.
Its chairman Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said both towers are vital to the 275kV Kolopis-Segaliud grid transmission line as a power capacity of approximately 200MW needs to be transmitted from Sabah west coast to east coast daily.
Madius said if the two towers need to be restored because if both collapsed, Sabah will be facing a critical energy crisis that will negatively impact the people.
“All equipment needed has been successfully deployed and the ERS towers are nearing completion. As of today, 95% of the work has been completed.
“I can assure you that all relevant authorities involved in the works, especially SESB and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), will complete the work involving the ERS towers soon.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the operation will be fully completed and operational within the week,” he said in a statement here today.
The recent on-site inspection results have found that there are two locations in Ranau-Randagong and Kg Nabutan where sedimentation and active land movement had occurred around the site of the 275kV transmission tower that caused instability.
He added that logistics involved in transporting equipment to the ERS towers using lorries has been the most difficult task due to the condition of the roads, terrains and the location where the towers are installed.
“Part of the equipment was carried manually by the staff but the hilly terrains and dangerous slopes posed a major obstacle because one slip and the situation could become critical.
“We are working closely with TNB, the state government and the Royal Malaysian Air Force who transported five container loads of equipment from Selangor to Sabah,” he said. – March 24, 2024