Electricity Tariffs In Sarawak To Stay Despite Fuel Price Increase - Bernama

LIMBANG, June 7 (Bernama) -- Electricity tariffs in Sarawak will stay despite the increase in fuel price since Wednesday, State Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management, Datuk Seri Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said here Saturday.

He said there had been no proposal yet from state-owned electricity company, Sesco Sdn Bhd, for a review of the current tariffs implemented since April last year.

"All this while, Sesco has had no subsidy (to purchase fuel for its electricity generation plant). We always procure the fuel based on the market price," he added when met after closing a three-day "Pesta Babulang," a festival organised by the Bisaya community in Batu Danau, here.

He admitted that Sesco could not depend entirely on fossil fuel to generate electricity following the unstable world price for oil, and had been actively exploring the potential of hydroelectric power in the state.

"We will continue to develop hydroelectric power in Sarawak as we have a lot of potential for it. We are also trying to develop a hybrid system (for power generation)," he said.

[From http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=338002]