KUCHING: Sarawak Energy which owns Bakun Dam has come out to allay any misgivings that may have arisen following the reported findings of an inspection by a dam safety flying squad from 2021 to 2022.
It said in its exit presentation to Sarawak Energy, the flying squad stated that it had found Bakun Dam to be in a good and safe condition during its inspection.
In a statement Sarawak Energy on Tuesday said besides the audit conducted by the flying squad, it also appoints independent international hydropower consultants to conduct dam safety review audits of all its hydro dams every five to seven years.
“The last dam safety review for Bakun Dam was conducted in October 2022 and found the dam to be in fair and good condition.”
Sarawak Energy also spelled out proactive measures that had been taken, namely:
• Sediment formation in the reservoir – the Bakun Dam is designed to withstand sedimentation up to 1,000 years.
• Integrity of main structures – minor defects highlighted in the audits were not detrimental to the structure stability, and have been rectified.
• Minor soil erosion of downstream slopes of Bakun Dam were assessed as non-critical and have been resolved.
It was earlier reported that the flying squad which had carried out an audit of eights dams in the country during the said period had found high sedimentation in the reservoir, damage to the instrumentation and water control equipment and damage to the integrity of the concrete structures among others.
“Sarawak Energy’s hydropower facilities have been designed according to the highest international technical standards for durability and safety,” the company said.
“Specifically, its hydropower projects are designed in accordance with guidelines established by the International Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD), an international body set up in 1928 to share knowledge and set standards and guidelines to ensure that dams are built and operated safely.
“These guidelines are also used to ensure dam safety worldwide including seismically active regions of the world such as the Himalayas and Japan,” it said.
Sarawak Energy also emphasised that it has two Dam Inspectors certified by the Malaysian National Committee on Large Dams (MYCOLD).
“The company’s Dam Safety Division conducts biannual internal reviews, on top of the daily, weekly and monthly routine inspections conducted by its onsite personnel.
“Earlier this year, the Bakun Dam’s Seismicity System was refurbished, and instrumentation was also automated,” it said.
In a related development Sarawak Energy said the dam operator, the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant, won the Best Dam Operator (under the Dam Safety Programme category) 2023 at the International Conference on Dam Safety Management and Engineering in March 2023
It also stated that the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant is also the recipient of the Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH) Safety Awards; and winner of the Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award (PMHA) Challenge Trophy 2023 and Excellent Achievement Award 2023.
Meanwhile, on responsible hydropower development in Sarawak, it said that Sarawak Energy is guided by the internationally recognised Hydropower Sustainability Standards, working closely with the International Hydropower Association (IHA), and aligned with the San Jose Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower to enhance the sector’s contribution to the energy transition.
“On top of that, we also train our staff to use the internationally recognised Hydropower Sustainability Standard’s Tools.
“Seventy-five staff have been trained as certified users of the Tools. In addition, 23 staff are now recognised as provisional accredited assessors of the Tools, providing a higher level of expert knowledge and demonstrating Sarawak Energy’s high commitment to sustainability.
“We aspire to achieve certification of its projects under the recently introduced Hydropower Sustainability Standard,” it added.
