UPHEP ENSURES NO DRY TAPS, POWER CUTS IN THE FUTURE

KOTA KINABALU: The 187.5MW Ulu Padas Hydroelectric Project (UPHEP) is a major initiative of the GRS-PH Plus government to address the long-standing water and power woes.

And, it speaks volumes of the genuine commitment of the government to ensure long-term water and electricity availability.

“This project is not something the state government promises in view of the upcoming state election. And it is not something you heard from the grapevine.

“It was already launched two years ago, reflecting the farsightedness of the government in tackling issues faced by the people,” says Datuk Dr Janathan Kandok.

Dr Janathan who is Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Tandek chief is responding to Deputy Prime Minister cum Barisan Nasional chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who recently stated that various issues in Sabah including infrastructure problems such as inadequate water and electricity supplies would be resolved within three years if the BN was given the mandate in the upcoming state election.

“The BN ruled Sabah for many years but it did not solve these issues when it had the power and resources to do so. Another election promise that will not be fulfilled?,” Dr Janathan asks.

And, he believes that the preponderant influence of the BN in Sabah is already fading fast and that is why it has to make such a pledge in the hope of winning over voters at the upcoming Sabah election.

The UPHEP in Tenom when completed is expected to generate an average of 1,052 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy yearly – hence, increasing Sabah’s current dependable capacity by some 15 per cent.It will also double the renewable energy (RE) mix, supporting Sabah’s goal of achieving approximately 35% RE share in its generation mix by 2035.

The multi-billion project, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2023, is scheduled for completion by end of 2030.

Meanwhile, Dr Janathan expresses confidence that this massive project will be completed as scheduled given the reputation and experience of the companies handling it.

Gamuda Berhad is the total development contractor (TDC) for the UPHEP in partnership with Conlay Construction Sdn Bhd (Conlay).

At the launch of UPHEP, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor had expressed confidence that the project would also resolve Sabah’s water supply issue in the longer term.

The dam is able to release up to 6,000 million litres of water daily.Kota Kinabalu residents only need to use about 500 to 600 million litres of water per day.

Water scarcity and power shortages will be a thing of the past when the UPHEP commences commercial operation.The potential benefits of a dam include water supply, electricity generation, flood control, recreation as well as irrigation.