Published: Tuesday November 22, 2011 MYT 4:34:00 PM Updated: Tuesday November 22, 2011 MYT 8:55:33 PM

25% of TNB consumers to pay 1% levy from Dec 1

By LIM WEY WEN
PUTRAJAYA: An estimated 25% of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) consumers in Peninsular Malaysia will pay a levy of 1% out of their total electricity bills starting Dec 1. This will follow the launch of the Government's Feed-in Tariff (FiT) system for the development of renewable energy next month. Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said Tuesday that electricity consumers will contribute 1% of their total electricity tariff bills issued by TNB to the Renewable Energy Fund if they use more than 300kWh of electricity per month. "Nonetheless, 75% of TNB's customers who consume less than 300kWh per month will be exempted from contributing to this fund," Chin told a press conference here. The FiT system is a funding mechanism under the Renewable Energy Act (REA) 2011 and Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Act 2011 designed to encourage the development of renewable energy via cost-sharing among electricity consumers. It was originally set to be launched in September but was postponed to wait for legal mechanisms under the REA to be in place.

Thursday November 1, 2012

TNB posts RM1bil profit

By LEONG HUNG YEE hungyee@thestar.com.my
Utility benefits from lower coal prices and compensation in Q4

Moggie (centre)showing TNBs results at the results briefing. With him are Azman (left) and Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin. KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd's (TNB) net profit surged to RM1bil in the fourth quarter ended Aug 31 mainly due to lower coal prices and compensation under the fuel-costsharing mechanism, in line with analysts' expectations. It was a sharp turnaround compared with the net loss of RM338.6mil reported for the same quarter last year and it helped TNB to turn in a net profit of RM4.2bil for the financial year ended Aug 31, more than four-fold hike compared with RM965.4mil for 2011. TNB's revenue for the quarter rose to RM9.33bil against RM9.15bil a year ago. Its earning per share was 18.44 sen compared with a loss per share of 6.21 sen previously. Revenue for the year was higher at RM35.8bil versus RM32.2bil a year ago. On a normalised basis, after adjusting for fuel cost compensation, TNB's net profit for 2012 stood at RM2.9bil. The lower coal prices and improved gas supply have cushioned high distillate prices. Our coal plants are running at full capacity, chairman Tan Sri Amar Leo Moggie said at a briefing to announce the fourth quarter results. He noted that TNB received RM750mil in compensation from the Government and Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) under the fuel-cost-sharing mechanism during the period April to August.

TNB has recommended a final single-tier dividend of 15 sen per share for 2012. Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) improved to 25.1%. President and chief executive officer Datuk Wira Azman Mohd said the utility company would continue to receive compensation from the Government and Petronas until the regasification terminal (RGT) in Sungai Udang, Malacca, was ready. We will have the one-third compensation until the RGT plant is up and running, he said, adding that the plant was expected to be ready by year-end or early first quarter of next year. Industry sources opined that the RGT could be operational by end-January 2013 instead of end of this year due to the delay in engineering, procurement and construction works. At the moment, gas supply has improved. November and December is not a peak season and demand will pick up only after Chinese New Year. We can manage the situation, Azman said. He said TNB would continue to burn oil and distillate, which was five times more expensive compared to the cost of using gas, from time to time. He expects coal prices to stay below US$100 per tonne, going forward. Azman said TNB targetted a revenue of RM5bil in 2015 from its non-regulated business. For financial year 2012, its revenue from this business stood at RM2.3bil, up from RM1.9bil in 2011. He said the company had formed a new business division to take advantage on vast nonregulated businesses opportunities. He added that TNB's subsidiaries were involved in non-regulated businesses such as manufacturing of switch gears and cables, services, district cooling, maintenance and operations. TNB was recently awarded a contract to build and operate the RM3bil combined-cycle gas turbine Prai power plant. The new 1,071MW plant is expected to commence operations by March 1, 2016 and the tariff is 34.7 sen per kWh. We are in the midst of negotiations with the Energy Commission. We are finalising the details in November. It's too premature to talk about impact, chief financial officer Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin said when asked how the Prai power plant would affect TNB's balance sheet.

Headline: TNB, Melaka pasang kabel elektrik menara rentas laut Publication: BH Date of publication: Nov 6, 2012 Section heading: Bisnes Page number: 004 Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) menjalin usaha sama dengan kerajaan Melaka bagi melaksanakan projek pemasangan kabel elektrik menara di perairan Selat Melaka bernilai RM30 juta. Presiden dan Ketua Eksekutif TNB, Datuk Wira Azman Mohd (gambar), berkata projek itu bakal merentas jarak enam kilometer bermula dari Pantai Siring Kampung Pulai, Serkam hingga ke Pulau Besar. Katanya, pelaksanaan projek yang bermula semalam itu dijangka siap sepenuhnya dalam tempoh tiga tahun. Guna 11 menara "Projek ini akan menggunakan 11 menara penghantar menggunakan kaedah sesalur atas voltan tinggi iaitu 33 kilovolt (kV). Apabila siap kelak, ia berupaya menyalurkan tenaga elektrik sehingga 3,953 kilowatt," katanya selepas pelancaran projek berkenaan yang disempurnakan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam di Jeti Pantai Siring Kampung Pulai, Serkam, dekat Jasin, Melaka, semalam. Hadir sama Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerja Raya dan Kemudahan Awam Melaka, Datuk Ab Karim Sulaiman; Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Melaka, Datuk Wira Omar Kaseh dan Pengurus Besar TNB Melaka, Datuk Mohd Azim Yusof. Mengulas lanjut, Azman berkata, projek berkenaan adalah satu pengalaman baru kepada TNB dan sekali gus membuktikan Malaysia maju setapak lagi dalam sektor perbekalan tenaga. Katanya, pemasangan kabel elektrik seperti itu pernah dilakukan di beberapa negara maju termasuk Jepun dan Korea. Negeri pertama "Kini Melaka menjadi negeri pertama di negara ini menyalurkan bekalan elektrik menerusi menara merentasi laut. Insya Allah, kita akan menggunakan pengalaman ini di tempat lain termasuk beberapa pulau yang memerlukan bekalan elektrik," katanya. Sementara itu, Mohd Ali berkata, usaha sama kerajaan negeri dengan TNB bagi projek itu dilaksanakan menerusi Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Melaka (PKNM). Katanya, keputusan membekalkan tenaga elektrik ke Pulau Besar bertujuan memajukan lagi kawasan terbabit menerusi pelbagai perancangan yang dibuat sebelum ini. "Di Pulau Besar ketika ini sudah pun mempunyai padang golf dan beberapa resort. Kita juga akan menubuhkan sebuah sekolah agama dan Pusat Tahfiz al-Quran yang akan beroperasi

Januari depan. "Kerajaan negeri juga akan menaikkan taraf surau yang ada sebagai masjid kariah dan menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) di situ bagi memantau tahap keselamatan serta kemajuan di situ," katanya.

Headline: Pulau Besar terima elektrik Publication: HM Date of publication: Nov 6, 2012 Section heading: Main Section Page number: 046 TENAGA Nasional Berhad (TNB) akan melaksanakan buat kali pertamanya penghantaran bekalan elektrik ke pulau peranginan Pulau Besar merentasi laut sejauh enam kilometer dari Pantai Siring dengan kos RM30 juta. Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif TNB, Datuk Wira Azman Mohd berkata, projek usahasama dengan kerajaan negeri Melaka itu menggunakan kaedah Sesalur Atas Voltan Tinggi 33kV yang disambungkan melalui 11 menara penghantaran. "Teknologi ini digunakan negara maju seperti Korea dan menerusinya, kami dapat menjimatkan kos satu pertiga," katanya selepas Majlis Pelancaran Bekalan Elektrik ke Pulau Besar, Melaka di Pantai Siring, Pulai di Jasin semalam. Pelancaran projek yang dijangka siap dalam tempoh tiga tahun itu disempurnakan Ketua Menteri Melaka, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

Headline: Untung bersih TNB RM1.014b Publication: BH Date of publication: Nov 1, 2012 Section heading: Bisnes Page number: 001 Byline / Author: Oleh Suffian A Bakar TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) mencatat keuntungan bersih berjumlah RM1.014 bilion, mewakili kenaikan lebih tiga kali ganda pada suku kewangan keempat berakhir 31 Ogos 2012 berbanding kerugian bersih RM322.5 juta pada suku sama tahun sebelumnya. Ia diraih daripada pendapatan yang meningkat kepada RM9.334 bilion berbanding RM9.154 bilion dalam tempoh kajian. Untuk keseluruhan tahun kewangan 2012, keuntungan bersih kumpulan itu mengukuh kepada RM4.206 bilion, iaitu peningkatan 336 peratus berbanding RM964.5 juta tahun sebelumnya. Ia diraih daripada pendapatan yang meningkat kepada RM35.848 bilion berbanding RM32.241 bilion yang dicatat pada tahun kewangan sebelum. Menjelaskan kenaikan ketara keuntungan itu, Pengerusi TNB, Tan Sri Leo Moggie, berkata ia berikutan pampasan kos bahan api yang diambil kira bagi tahun kewangan dikaji. Beliau berkata, jika tidak diambil kira pampasan berkenaan, peningkatan keuntungan bersih TNB bagi tahun kewangan 2012 ialah sebanyak 34.2 peratus kepada RM2.94 bilion berbanding RM2.19 bilion tahun sebelumnya. "Berdasarkan keputusan kewangan selepas pelarasan pampasan kos bahan api, suku keempat tahun kewangan 2012 mencatatkan kenaikan keuntungan bersih hampir tiga kali ganda kepada RM1 bilion berbanding RM0.35 bilion suku sebelumnya. "Ia disebabkan didorong khususnya oleh pertumbuhan permintaan elektrik lebih kukuh sebanyak lima peratus dan pengukuhan nilai ringgit berbanding dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS) dan yen Jepun masingmasing pada 1.6 peratus dan 1.3 peratus," katanya pada sidang media mengumumkan keputusan kewangan itu di Kuala Lumpur, semalam. Hadir sama Presiden yang juga Ketua Eksekutifnya, Datuk Ir Azman Mohd. Langkah sementara Azman berkata, mekanisme perkongsian kos bahanapi hanyalah langkah sementara untuk mengatasi isu semasa. TNB katanya, secara berterusan bekerjasama dengan kerajaan dan agensi berkaitan bagi mendapatkan penyelesaian jangka panjang yang mapan untuk memastikan bekalan elektrik mapan dan selamat. Beliau berkata, pada peringkat operasi, permintaan elektrik di Semenanjung naik 4.3 peratus sepanjang tahun kewangan lalu, dipacu sektor komersial.

Bagi memenuhi permintaan lebih tinggi itu, TNB katanya terpaksa meningkatkan penjanaan dari stesen jana kuasa arang batu, menyebabkan kenaikan 10.1 peratus dalam penggunaan arang batu daripada kepada 20.8 juta tan metrik tahun lalu daripada 18.9 juta tan tahun sebelumnya. Bagaimanapun, arah aliran penurunan harga arang batu di peringkat global membantu mengurangkan impak itu, purata harga arang batu tahun lalu ialah sekitar AS$103.6 (RM316.07) satu tan berbanding purata AS$106.9 (RM326.14) satu tan tahun sebelumnya, katanya. Berhubung laporan bahawa loji pemprosesan semula gas asli cecair (LNG) milik PETRONAS di Sungai Udang, Melaka yang sepatutnya memulakan khidmatnya kepada pelanggan September lalu tetapi ditangguhkan atas sebab tertentu kepada suku pertama tahun depan, beliau berkata penangguhan itu tidak memberikan kesan kenaikan kos kepada TNB dalam tahun semasa ini. Beliau menjelaskan, seperti termaktub dalam perjanjian pelarasan pampasan kos bahan api antara TNB dengan Kerajaan dan Petronas, ia menjanjikan pampasan diberikan kepada TNB selagi loji itu tidak beroperasi. Azman berkata, kelewatan operasi loji di Melaka itu juga tidak memberikan masalah besar kepada TNB untuk menguruskan bekalan elektrik. Beliau berkata, ini kerana secara tradisinya permintaan hanya akan mencapai tahap puncak pada Mei hingga Ogos setiap tahun.

Headline: TNB untung bersih RM2.9b Publication: HM Date of publication: Nov 1, 2012 Section heading: Main Section Page number: 057 Byline / Author: Oleh Helmy Abd Rahman TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) merekodkan keuntungan bersih RM2.9 bilion bagi tahun kewangan berakhir 31 Ogos 2012, meningkat 34.2 peratus berbanding RM2.19 bilion yang dicatatkan pada tempoh sama, tahun sebelumnya. Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Leo Moggie berkata, angka itu dicatatkan selepas keputusan kewangan tahun kewangan 2012 dan tahun lalu diperbetulkan berikutan TNB memperoleh pampasan kos bahan api daripada Petronas. "Kami mendapat pampasan RM750 juta dari April hingga Ogos lalu. Selain itu, harga arang batu lebih rendah turut menyumbang kepada prestasi kewangan memberangsangkan ini," katanya pada sidang media selepas mengumumkan prestasi kewangan suku keempat tahun kewangan TNB berakhir 31 Ogos 2012 di Kuala Lumpur, semalam. Sementara itu, Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif TNB, Datuk Azman Mohd berkata, permintaan elektrik di Semenanjung meningkat sebanyak 4.3 peratus, didorong sektor komersial. "Bagi memenuhi permintaan lebih tinggi, kami menambah penjanaan daripada stesen kuasa arang batu sebanyak 10.1 peratus membabitkan penggunaan arang batu iaitu daripada 18.9 juta tan metrik dalam tahun kewangan 2011 kepada 20.8 juta tan metrik pada tahun kewangan 2012," katanya. Dalam perkembangan lain, beliau berkata, pihaknya yakin mampu menguruskan bekalan tenaga, meskipun berdepan penangguhan operasi kemudahan pemprosesan semula gas asli cecair (LNG) Petronas di Melaka yang sepatutnya bermula bulan lalu. "Kami menjangkakan bekalan gas pertama yang akan digunakan bagi menjana kuasa akan diperoleh Januari tahun depan. "Sehingga hujung tahun ini, permintaan masih dapat diuruskan kerana tempoh ini bukanlah musim puncak dan biasanya permintaan akan mula bertambah selepas Tahun Baru Cina," katanya.

Headline: TNB bangun pusat cas kereta elektrik Publication: BH Date of publication: Oct 20, 2012 Section heading: Bisnes Page number: 001 Byline / Author: Oleh Che Wan Badrul Alias Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) sedang membangunkan sistem grid pintar (Smart Grid TNB) berpusat di kawasan segi tiga emas berhampiran Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur sebagai persediaan awal pembangunan infrastruktur stesen pengecas kereta elektrik (EV) di seluruh negara. Projek itu, akan membolehkan TNB menguruskan penyaluran dan penggunaan elektrik dengan lebih cekap selain meraih penjimatan besar dengan mengurangkan kadar kehilangan tenaga yang tidak digunakan. Sumber industri berkata, syarikat utiliti itu memperuntukkan pelaburan besar bagi menerapkan teknologi Smart Grid yang mampu mengumpul maklumat dan bertindak balas berdasarkan pembekalan dan permintaan yang diperoleh hasil kecanggihan teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi (ICT). Katanya, teknologi itu amat berguna bagi membantu negara memperkukuhkan lagi pembangunan teknologi EV yang dijangka dilaksanakan secara komersial menjelang 2014. "Apabila kereta EV diperkenalkan secara komersial, keperluan kepada stesen pengecas akan meningkat sekali gus memerlukan bekalan tenaga elektrik yang mapan untuk kegunaan pengguna EV, premis perniagaan dan persendirian di kawasan terbabit. "Bekalan tenaga perlu ditingkatkan atau ia boleh diuruskan dengan cekap bagi memenuhi keperluan ini, maka TNB mencadangkan sistem grid pintar sebagai penyelesaiannya membolehkan syarikat menyalurkan bekalan elektrik secara optimum mengikut keperluan semasa. Meter pintar "Sistem ini menekankan elemen meter pintar dan dikawal secara jarak jauh, selepas pengujian di kawasan segi tiga emas selesai kita akan tahu kriteria grid pintar di Malaysia dan hasil kajiannya akan digunakan sebagai model rujukan untuk dibangunkan di kawasan lain pula," katanya kepada BH di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini. Teknologi Grid Pintar kini digunakan secara meluas di negara maju khususnya Eropah bagi mengawal selia dan menyelaras pengedaran bekalan tenaga secara automatik. Katanya, cadangan projek itu sudah dibentangkan kepada pihak industri terbabit dengan teknologi EV dan mereka menyambut baik rancangan itu yang membuktikan komitmen kerajaan dan agensi kerajaan kepada hala tuju teknologi EV negara. Pertambahan permintaan

Mengulas perkembangan itu, Menteri Tenaga, Teknologi Hijau dan Air, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui yang ditemui pada Pameran Produk Teknologi Hijau Antarabangsa (IGEM 2012) barubaru ini, berkata kini pertambahan permintaan bekalan elektrik masih belum ketara kerana jumlah stesen pengecas EV masih rendah. Katanya, pada masa depan apabila jumlahnya melebihi 20 hingga 30 stesen EV di satu lokasi ber-hampiran ia akan menjejaskan bekalan kuasa di kawasan terbabit. "Dengan pertambahan jumlah stesen pengecas bermakna TNB perlu mengukuhkan sistemnya di sana, kalau terlalu banyak bekalan elektrik disedut oleh kenderaan EV akan timbul pula masalah bagi keperluan premis lain di sekitarnya. "Maka kementerian juga perlu melakukan kajian bagi mengumpulkan data bagi mengetahui berapa banyak kuasa diperlukan di satu-satu tempat,' katanya.

Thursday October 11, 2012

TNB temporarily halts replacing meters

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd has halted the replacement of electricity meters until a standard operating procedure is in place, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui. This comes after complaints from consumers that the upgrading of electro-mechanical meters to new digital meters had led to higher electricity bills, including retrospective charges. TNB has stopped its operation to replace the old meters and is in discussion with the ministry to come up with a standard operating procedure to boost consumer confidence. The operation will continue, but our first task is educate the public on the new meters, he said. Chin, however, added that the replacement exercise would still apply to households with faulty meters and consumers suspected of stealing electricity. Responding to public complaints, TNB said the new digital meters had been tested and calibrated by laboratories accredited by the Department of Standards Malaysia and used by utility companies worldwide. Meanwhile, Chin said more investments into solar power plants would be made following the Budget 2013 allocation of RM2bil for the ministry's Green Technology Financing Scheme, which was also extended until 2015. With the funds, The ministry and the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation are looking into the implementation of more solar panels and plants, he said after launching the 3rd International Greentechnology Conference Malaysia at KL Convention Centre here yesterday.

Headline: The transformation of Malaysia's power sector Publication: NST Date of publication: Oct 15, 2012 Section heading: Business Times Page number: 002 Byline / Author: By Zaidi Isham Ismail GIVEN its size and importance in the country's economy, Malaysia's power sector does not command the respect it deserves. For years, consumers have been complaining about its efficiencies, while commercial and industry players have been in doubt over its ability to support the country's growth engine. While consumers in Malaysia currently enjoy lower tariff rates than that in many countries in the region, many believe that the current tariff structure is not sustainable. The level of subsidy paid to maintain lower tariffs has cost the government several billions of ringgit in opportunity cost, and this could seriously dent the country's fund if the issue is not addressed soon. To make matters worse, the industry also has its legacy problem in the form of lopsided power purchase agreements (PPAs) between Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and first-generation independent power producers (IPPs), which has directly left little flexibility to the utility group and the government to vary the tariff. Adding to the woes is the recent incident where Petronas, the main supplier of gas to power plants in the country, was unable to supply gas to the IPPs and TNB due to the problems with its pipeline and production curtailment. With gas in short supply, it would mean IPPs and TNB have to burn more expensive distillates. While the IPPs could pass the cost to TNB under the PPAs, TNB could not transfer the high cost to consumers through higher tariff. This represents a catch-22 situation to TNB and could threaten its long-term sustainability. This was the reason why the government set up MyPOWER Corporation last year, with the sole purpose to look into the industry's structure and make recommendations. It is understood that MyPOWER, who is headed by Datuk Abdul Razak Majid, has successfully come up with several recommendations. As a special purpose agency, MyPOWER is tasked with detailing out key reform initiatives for the Malaysia's electricity supply industry that are aligned with the government's Economic Transformation Programmes. Industry sources say some of the key reforms suggested by MyPOWER have already started to show results.

These included making the Energy Commission the main regulatory body responsible to decide on future planting-ups and make sure that industry players, IPPs and TNB, comply with the sector's requirements. The commission recently conducted its first competitive bidding process for the new power plant in Prai, which was won by TNB, and the extension of PPAs for some of the firstgeneration IPPs. The success of such exercise bode well for the power industry. The competitive bidding has certainly left a positive mark, in terms of ensuring transparency. It allows the commission and the government to choose the most competitive rates for generating electricity and eventually pass on the savings to consumers. There has also been talk among industry players that the government would soon set up a tariff stabilisation mechanism to ensure that Malaysians can still enjoy competitive electricity rates, without having to increase subsidies. Some of these changes would not have been possible if the industry structure remained status quo, with decision-making fragmented among various government departments and ministries. With the Energy Commission now calling the shots over the county's future energy requirements, better decision can be made, which would mean less cost of producing electricity and more savings for consumers. Other recommendations made by MyPOWER include putting in place ring-fencing rules within TNB to ensure it plays its role as a single buyer and system operator of the country's electricity effectively. The move will require accounting of TNB's three divisions - generation, transmission and distribution - be separated. For consumers, it will mean that the cost of the three components be included in the monthly bills. Like many consumers in Malaysia, I really hope that the current transformation efforts can progress unhindered to ensure that the industry remains sustainable. If the authority like the Energy Commission remains true to these objectives, I am sure that the electricity tariff in Malaysia can be kept at a competitive rate, even without much subsidy from the government. If this happens, the main beneficiaries will be the end-users, like myself.

Headline: TNB dapat kontrak kendali CCGT RM3 bilion Publication: BH Date of publication: Oct 10, 2012 Section heading: Bisnes Page number: 001 Nasional Bhd (TNB) dianugerahkan kontrak membina, memiliki dan mengendalikan loji jana kuasa kombinasi kitaran turbin gas (CCGT) baru di negara ini yang bernilai RM3 bilion. Kontrak itu diberikan kepada syarikat utiliti itu selepas ia muncul pembida paling kompetitif dari segi tawaran harga di kalangan 47 syarikat tempatan dan antarabangsa yang menyertai bidaan antarabangsa yang dikeluarkan Suruhanjaya Tenaga pada 31 Januari lalu. TNB juga dipilih berdasarkan kemampuannya membangunkan loji jana kuasa yang cekap dan memiliki fleksibiliti dalam operasi, selain mampu membekalkan tenaga kepada pengguna dengan selamat, boleh diharap dan pada harga berpatutan. Loji jana kuasa CCGT baru itu akan dibina di Prai, Pulau Pinang dan bakal mempunyai kapasiti antara 1,071 megawatt (MW) apabila beroperasi pada 1 Mac 2016 nanti. Menggantikan PPA generasi pertama Pembinaannya bertujuan memenuhi peningkatan dalam keperluan tenaga di Semenanjung pada 2016 dan 2017 nanti. Apabila siap kelak, tenaga yang dihasilkan loji itu akan dibekalkan balik kepada TNB di bawah Perjanjian Pembelian Tenaga (PPA) baru yang akan menggantikan PPA generasi pertama yang akan tamat pada 2015 dan 2016. Mengumumkan keputusan bidaan itu, Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Tenaga, Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, berkata TNB ditawarkan untuk membina, memiliki dan mengendalikan loji itu pada tahap kadar tarif 34.7 sen per kilowatt sejam (kwj). "Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Suruhanjaya Tenaga telah berjaya melaksanakan proses bidaan antarabangsa bagi pembangunan loji jana kuasa CCGT di Prai yang mana dalam proses ini, lapan syarikat disenarai pendek dan daripada itu, hanya enam yang layak membuat tawaran akhir. "Setelah dinilai, TNB muncul pembida paling kompetitif daripada enam syarikat berkenaan," katanya kepada media di Putrajaya semalam. Ahmad Tajuddin berkata, loji jana kuasa CCGT yang bakal dibina itu akan menggunakan dua unit turbin gas Siemens teknologi H-class. Teknologi itu katanya, akan membantumeningkatkan prestasi kecekapan pengendalian loji mencecah 60 peratus berbanding 55 peratus tahap kecekapan loji CCGT yang menggunakan teknologi F-class sedia ada ketika ini. "Sebagai pemenang bidaan, TNB selepas ini perlu memeterai PPA yang baru berlandaskan

terma yang telah diselaraskan oleh Suruhanjaya Tenaga," katanya. Sementara itu, Ahmad berkata, Suruhanjaya Tenaga juga dijangka mengeluarkan tender pembinaan loji jana kuasa baru tidak lama lagi bagi memenuhi peningkatan dalam keperluan tenaga untuk tempoh selepas 2017. "Suruhanjaya Tenaga perlu membuat pengiraan (mengenai keperluan untuk membina lebih banyak loji jana kuasa baru) bagi keperluan selepas 2017 nanti," katanya.

Headline: TNB menang bidaan Publication: HM Date of publication: Oct 10, 2012 Section heading: Main Section Page number: 046 TENAGA Nasional Berhad (TNB) berjaya dalam bidaan antarabangsa bagi pembangunan loji janakuasa gas kitar padu di Prai, Pulau Pinang (Trek 1) yang bernilai RM3 bilion. Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Tenaga, Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali (gambar) berkata, dengan keputusan itu, TNB boleh membina, mengoperasi dan memiliki loji janakuasa kitar padu berkapasiti 1,071 MW dengan kadar tarif 34.7 sen/kWj untuk mula beroperasi pada 1 Mac 2016. Beliau berkata, loji janakuasa kitar padu itu akan menggunakan dua unit turbin gas Siemens teknologi H-class yang akan memberi prestasi kecekapan loji mencecah 60 peratus apabila beroperasi pada 2016, berbanding tahap kecekapan loji kitar padu teknologi F-class sedia ada dalam sistem sekitar 55 peratus. Katanya, Genting Sanyen Power, Segari Energy Ventures dan loji TNB Pasir Gudang pula ditawarkan pelanjutan tempoh operasi untuk kapasiti penjanaan, kadar tarif serta tempoh ditetapkan. "Genting Sanyen Power dengan kapasiti 675 MW membabitkan tarif 35.3 sen/kWj dan tempoh 10 tahun; Segari Energy Ventures, kapasiti 1,303 MW, tarif 36.3 sen/kWj dan tempoh 10 tahun; TNB Pasir Gudang, kapasiti 275 MW, tarif 37.4 sen/kWj dan tempoh lima tahun," katanya pada sidang media mengumumkan keputusan bidaan antarabangsa bagi pembangunan loji kitar padu di Prai (trek pertama) dan bidaan terhad pelanjutan tempoh operasi loji penjana bebas (IPP) pertama dan TNB (trek kedua) di Putrajaya, semalam. Keputusan penilaian bidaan trek pertama dan kedua itu dibuat berdasarkan tawaran tarif terendah dan memenuhi syarat dikehendaki. Proses bidaan adalah mengikut perancangan kehendak kapasiti tambahan penjanaan kuasa bagi memenuhi keperluan bekalan elektrik di Semenanjung menjelang 2016 dan 2017 yang diperakukan Suruhanjaya Tenaga kepada pihak kerajaan. Ahmad Tajuddin berkata, kadar tarif ditawarkan dalam bidaan trek pertama dan kedua berdasarkan unjuran harga gas di pasaran pada RM42.24/Gigajoule (GJ) menjelang 2016. "Ini harga gas yang digunakan untuk tujuan penilaian," katanya sambil menegaskan, keputusan proses bidaan menunjukkan loji janakuasa sedia ada adalah berdaya saing dan masih berkeupayaan beroperasi pada tahap keboleharapan yang tinggi.

Headline: TNB clinches Prai power plant contract Publication: NST Date of publication: Oct 10, 2012 Section heading: Business Times Page number: 001 Byline / Author: By Goh Thean Eu PUTRAJAYA: TENAGA Nasional Bhd (TNB) has been awarded a contract to build, own and operate a combined cycle power plant in Prai, Penang - a job that could worth about RM3 billion. The combined cycle power plant - which is expected to be commissioned by March 1 2016 will have a capacity of 1,071 megawatts at a levelised tariff of 34.7 sen/kWh. The job was awarded following an international bidding exercise for the power plant. "This is to meet the requirement of generation capacity in Peninsular Malaysia for 2016," said Energy Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali in a media briefing yesterday. At 34.7 sen/kWh, it is significantly lower than the tariffs offered to those first-generation independent power producers (IPPs), which are believed to be at as high as 50 sen/kWh. "This is a positive news for TNB in the long term. It could result in some improvements in their margins," said a foreign brokerage analyst. TNB shares closed unchanged yesterday at RM7.00 with more than 9.1 million shares changing hands. The national utility will build the Prai power plant using two units of Siemens H-class gas turbines. These state-of-the-art gas turbine along with a steam turbine in a combined cycle can produce an efficiency of 60.75 per cent - the highest efficiency rate for any commercialised gas turbine so far. It means that for every 100 tonnes of fuel the plant consumes, 60.75 per cent of it is converted into power. The gas turbine alone has an efficiency of 40 per cent. However, by combining it with a steam turbine, which will be powered by the heat released from the gas turbines, the power plant will be able to achieve the record-breaking efficiency. Besides helping the power plant owners to save costs and to use less fuel to generate power, it also aims to reduce the country's carbon footprint. A 1.5 percentage point efficiency improvement would translate into yearly savings in gas consumption of 14,700 tonnes and reduction in CO2 emissions of 41,000 tonnes. Currently, most combined cycle power plants are operating at an efficiency rate of about 55 per cent.

The EC also announced the renewal of operating licences of two first-generation IPPs and a TNB plant.

Wednesday October 10, 2012

Two IPPs get 10-year extension; TNB to build Prai plant

By LEONG HUNG YEE and MARTIN CARVALHO starbiz@thestar.com.my
PUTRAJAYA: The energy sector saw major announcements yesterday as the Energy Commission (EC) announced the extension of first-generation independent power producers' (IPPs) power purchase agreements (PPAs) and also awarded Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) a contract to build and operate a RM3bil combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) Prai power plant. First generation IPPs that have been awarded with an extension of 10 years to their PPAs are Genting Sanyen Power Sdn Bhd and Segari Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of Malakoff). TNB Pasir Gudang has been awarded a five-year extension to its PPA. TNB Pasir Gudang, which is currently operating under an agreement, will operate as an IPP after 2017. Energy Commission chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali said extension for PPAs and Prai power plant bidding was done concurrently to meet the requirement of generation capacity in Peninsular Malaysia for 2016/2017. Malaysia's electricity demand keeps increasing every year. The new plant is to meet the requirement of generation capacity in the peninsula, Tajuddin said in a briefing.

Tajuddin: Malaysias electricity demand keeps increasing every year. The new plant is to meet the requirement of generation capacity in the peninsula.

He said the CCGT power plant would use two units of Siemens H-class gas turbines that can achieve plant efficiency of around 60% when commissioned in 2016 compared with the efficiency of F-class combined cycle plant in the system of around 55%. The new 1,071 MW Prai power plant is expected to commence operation by March 1, 2016 and the tariff for the Prai plant was 34.7 sen per kWh. Tajuddin said the estimated cost of RM3bil for the Prai power plant was a good and competitive price for a gas plant. Meanwhile, the rate for Genting Sanyen's 675 MW plant is 35.3 sen per kWh, while the rate for Segari's 1,303 MW plant is 36.3 sen per kWh. The rate for TNB Pasir Gudang's 275 MW plant is 37.4 sen per kWh. Additionally, gas used to power up these stations will no longer be subsidised. He said the new rates for IPPs would be effective 48 months from the existing PPAs. The tariff for both bidding exercises was based on projected market price of RM42.24 per gigajoule in 2016, Tajuddin said, adding that the PPAs were expected to be signed in about three weeks. He noted that the bidding exercise was done in a transparent and open manner with eight parties initially selected with six coming up with final offers for evaluation. The first-generation IPPs' PPAs, which will expire between 2016 and 2017, are not being renegotiated and the competitive tender exercise will replace these as the country plans for future energy demand. Tajuddin said the EC was in the midst of preparing papers for a decision on further planting of power plants to cater for the rising energy demand beyond 2016. We have taken the needs (with the extension of PPAs and new power plant) up to 2016, but also we need to cater for 2017, 2018 and beyond.

Enlightening: Tajuddin announcing the power deals. Genting Sanyen is one of two IPPs awarded 10-year extension.

We hope to finalise this (preparing papers) soon for bidding process for plants to be commission in 2017 onwards, he added. At present, the peak demand for electricity in Peninsular Malaysia stands at 15,826 MW, as recorded on June 20. By 2020, the peak electricity demand will likely exceed 20,000 MW based on an expected growth rate of 3.5%, or 550 MW to 600 MW, per year. Meanwhile, TNB said it had been selected as the preferred bidder for the Prai power plant but the letter of award for the said project would only be issued upon successful completion of negotiations. The utility giant said negotiations would commence from Oct 15 and were expected to be completed within 21 days. The power plant would be gas fired and has a capacity of 2x535 MW. A local bank-backed analyst said the new contract would bring new business to TNB with the additional capacity. He said TNB had the ability to borrow money at lower cost and had a strong balance sheet to boot.

Headline: Projek RM135j TNB Publication: HM Date of publication: Sep 7, 2012 Section heading: Main Section Page number: 046 Byline / Author: Oleh Maria Uffa Zulkafeli JITRA: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Kedah, memperuntukkan sejumlah RM135 juta dalam usaha melaksanakan projek pembinaan kabel bertebat sekali gus membaiki sistem bekalan elektrik di negeri ini pada tahun ini. Pengurus Besarnya, Suid Othman, berkata, ia membabitkan projek pembinaan kabel 33 kilobait (kb) dengan kos sebanyak RM44.47 juta, dan kabel 11kb dengan kos RM90 juta. Katanya, setakat ini, pembinaan kabel 33kb dari Gurun ke Sungai Tiang sedang dijalankan dan ia dijangka siap menjelang penghujung tahun ini. "Selepas projek ini siap, ia dijangka akan dapat memperbaiki masalah bekalan elektrik di kawasan Sungai Tiang, Naka, Kuala Nerang dan sekitarnya. "Sekiranya berlaku gangguan di kawasan berkenaan, ia mampu membekalkan semula bekalan itu ke kawasan yang terjejas dengan cepat. Malah, jika terdapat permintaan bekalan tambahan di kawasan sama, ia juga mampu dibekalkan tanpa sebarang masalah," katanya. Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita ketika ditemui selepas majlis Mesra Aidilfitri TNB Kedah Jasamu Dikenang dan sumbangan kepada anak-anak yatim di pekarangan pejabat TNB, di sini, semalam. Menurutnya, selain itu TNB juga sedang menjalankan projek pembinaan pencawang pembahagian utama (PPU) di Kawasan Perindustrian Mergong membabitkan kos sebanyak RM12 juta yang dijangka siap pada pertengahan tahun depan. Katanya, dengan terlaksananya projek berkenaan, ia mampu memberi bekalan daya harap dan mencukupi untuk menampung pembangunan di kawasan terbabit termasuk di Mergong, Kuala Kedah dan sekitarnya. "Selain itu, kita juga sedang membina beberapa kabel tambahan di Kulim dan Kuala Ketil bagi menampung bekalan elektrik untuk kampus induk Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) di Kuala Ketil, Baling dan sekitarnya. "Kita berharap projek berkenaan mampu mencapai System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) 50 minit setahun," katanya. Sementara itu, katanya, projek pembinaan kabel 11kb yang dirancang bermula 1 September lalu hingga 31 Ogos 2013 akan memberi tumpuan memperbaiki bekalan sekali gus mengurangkan masalah gangguan sistem elektrik. Katanya, TNB menggunakan Aerial Bundle Cables (ABC) iaitu penggunaan kabel bertebat bagi memastikan kabel berkenaan tidak terganggu akibat dihempap pokok, gangguan haiwan

dan cuaca. "Kita berharap semua projek ini mampu membekalkan bekalan elektrik kepada pengguna tanpa sebarang masalah dan meningkatkan kepuasan mereka. "Tahun lalu saja, kita sudah membelanjakan sebanyak RM39.72 juta bagi projek sama di beberapa kawasan termasuk di Serdang/Bandar Baharu, Jeniang hingga Sik, Sungai Petani dan Kulim," katanya.

Friday November 2, 2012

Delays at LNG regasification factory may hurt TNBs 2013 earnings

Petronas Gas Bhds LNG regasification terminal in Sungai Udang, Malacca. KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd's (TNB) earnings for the financial year 2013 may be affected due to delays at the Malacca liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification plant, said analysts. They said the plant was facing technical glitches and was expected to commence operations only in the first quarter of next year. Alliance Research said the utility giant would have to continue burning alternative fuels to make up for the gas shortfall. Although the management reassured that the cost-sharing agreement will go on, TNB will still be exposed to one-third of the alternative fuels cost for the next five months in FY13 (assuming the plant is ready by the end of January 2013), it said in a research note yesterday. The TNB management said yesterday pricing for the imported LNG will be based on market prices but the management reassured that it would be earnings neutral to the company. The utility company said it has now increased the use of oil and distillates in its generation mix for FY13, thus reducing its earnings projection by 10.2% for next year, the research house said. Alliance Research has maintained its buy call for TNB with a revised target price of RM7.91 against RM8.05 previously.

Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said higher priced LNG import from the Malacca plant would not affect its bottomline as the Government was studying fundings for the import. Capacity payment savings from the renewal of first generation independent power producers would be channelled into the fund, it said. It noted that the average coal price had dropped to below US$90 a tonne since June 2012 and TNB expected prices to remain at the current level. We estimated that every US$10 slide for a tonne of coal price will lower TNB's fuel cost by RM600 per annum, it said ina research note. The research house kept its buy recommendation on TNB with a lower target price of RM8.12 from RM8.30. Yesterday, TNB announced above expectation results for financial year ended Aug 31, 2012, with a higher pre-tax profit of RM5.537bil, a sharp jump from RM1.156bil posted a year ago. Revenue rose to RM35.848bil from RM32.241bil. HLIB said TNB's RM2.6bil core earnings for FY12 were higher than its RM2bil forecast. Bernama

Published: Monday September 3, 2012 MYT 6:34:00 PM Updated: Monday September 3, 2012 MYT 7:23:59 PM

PM: TNB is first GLC to raise retirement age to 60

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is the first government-linked company to raise the retirement age from 56 to 60. He said this was in accordance with the implementation of the Minimum Retirement Age Act 2012 passed by Parliament recently. The prime minister also announced more good news for the TNB employees. He said TNB's board of directors and management would also raise the employer's rate of contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for the 56-60 age group. He said new employees of TNB would contribute to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) from Sept 1 this year. Najib made the announcements when addressing a gathering of TNB employees at the TNB Sports Complex, here. The event was carried live over a video telecast to the 30,000 TNB employees throughout peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. Najib hoped that all TNB employees would be more motivated to discharge their duties. He said the challenge for TNB now was to fulfil the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) pertaining to supply of adequate electricity and energy at a high rate of reliability compared to the early stages where it had to supply power to small towns and the rural areas. "When we talk of quality, it goes with reliability. This does not apply just for domestic consumers but for industrial users such as in the sophisticated electrical and electronic fields where a slight disruption can result in huge losses," he said.

Thursday September 6, 2012

Bangladesh picks TNB for 1,320MW coalpowered plant

NEW DELHI: Malaysias utility giant Tenaga Nasional Bhds (TNB) proposal has been selected by the Bangladesh Power Division for the installation and operations of a 1,320MW coal-fired plant in that country. The power plant, to be installed at either Anwara in Chittagong or Maheshkhali at Coxs Bazar, would be through a joint-venture company owned by the Power Development Board and TNB, Bangladeshs New Age newspaper reported, quoting unnamed officials. It said the plant would run on imported coal. A delegation, led by the Power Divisions additional secretary Md Mofazzel Hossain, will visit Malaysia this month to finalise the memorandum of understanding on the installation and operations of the plant, the officials said. China and Thailand power generation companies have also submitted proposals to the Power Division for the project. A Power Division official told New Age they preferred the Malaysian proposal as it met the criteria set by the ministry. Therefore, were going to begin a formal process to implement the project with the Malaysian state agency, he said. Both the Chinese and Thai companies wanted to give engineering, procurement and construction contracts to their own firms while Bangladesh wanted to award the contracts through a tender process, the official said. Besides, they wanted the joint-venture company board to have the majority of the people from their side, which would have let them to pursue their interests through the board, he said. According to Malaysias proposal, the joint-venture company would implement the project on a build-own-operate scheme, the report said. The power board and TNB will have equal share in the project. The board will be established with equal number of members from both the state-run power agencies. The board chairman and managing director will be alternated periodically with people from both agencies.

The government decided to go for joint-venture projects to draw funding for project implementation, the Power Division official said. With this, Dhaka has so far initiated three big coal-fired power projects, each having 1,320MW generation capacity, in joint venture with equal shares with three state-run agencies. TNB is the biggest power utility company in Malaysia, with the experience to install and operate a number of plants, with a combined 12,000MW generation capacity in Malaysia and Pakistan. Bangladesh has set a long-range target to generate about 20,000MW power from coal-fired plants by 2030. According to the long-term power generation plan drawn up in 2010, the government will generate 11,250MW electricity using domestic coal and the remaining amount with imported coal. Bernama

Thursday October 11, 2012

TNB benefits most from commissions move for energy reform

By LEONG HUNG YEE hungyee@thestar.com.my

Port Dickson Power is said to contribute only 1.4% of Sime Darby group net profit for financial year 2012. PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) benefits the most from the recent announcements by the Energy Commission (EC) that pushes for energy reform in the country. The utility giant won the bid to build and operate a RM3bil combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) Prai power plant. At the same time, EC has also given TNB Pasir Gudang a five-year extension of its independent power producer (IPP) contract. The energy sector has been waiting for some three months for EC to announce the extension of IPPs' power purchase agreements (PPAs) as well as the Prai power plant. With this, first generation IPPs who got the sweetheart deals at the expense of TNB, which had to buy up the excess capacity from them is over. This will also provide huge savings for the utility company. Despite the good news, TNB's share price saw little excitement. The counter was unchanged at RM7 with over 7.5 million shares traded. According to analysts, the funding for TNB's new Prai power plant would likely be in US dollar and ringgit. A local bank-backed analyst said TNB had the ability to borrow money at lower cost and had a strong balance sheet to boot.

RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd believes funding should not be a problem for TNB as it expects the Prai plant to be financed via a project financing similar to the Janamanjung expansion. Assuming 80%, of the cost is financed by debt, TNB's equity portion is only RM600mil. TNB's balance sheet is healthy with a cash balance of RM9.1bil as at May 31, it said. RHB added that the savings for TNB could amounted to RM400mil per annum should the first generation IPPs agree to cuts in capacity payments in return for extensions to their power purchase agreements (PPAs). However, it said it remained unclear whether TNB would reap the savings in capacity payments. Previously, we understand from the management that the Government intends to flow all the benefits of these savings to consumers. First generation IPPs that have been awarded with an extension of 10 years to their PPAs are Genting Sanyen Power Sdn Bhd and Segari Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of Malakoff). TNB Pasir Gudang has been awarded a five-year extension to its PPA. TNB Pasir Gudang, which is currently operating under an agreement, will operate as an IPP after 2017. Three first generation IPPs YTL Power International Bhd, Powertek Bhd and Port Dickson Power of the Sime Darby group will be discontinued upon expiry of their PPAs. Maybank Investment Bank Research said the key takeaway of the announcements by EC was that the renewed deals were done on a commercial basis at competitive rates. It estimates the projected internal rate of return (IRR) to be in mid-single digits, a vast improvement from the mid-teen IRRs enjoyed by the first-generation IPPs. Furthermore, PPAs of obsolete nonviable power plants are not renewed and will be allowed to lapse upon maturity. The research house said the new Prai power plant would boost TNB's installed capacity by 9.3% while the new IPP tariff was reasonable and not a burden. YTL Power, which lost its bid for extension was within Maybank's expectation as its plants are effectively at the end of their useful lives, and are no longer competitive. It said Port Dickson Power did not seek an extension. This is not a surprise given that this is a peaking plant which is close to the end of its life. The move is also in line with the group's strategy to exit the power sector and focus on other more lucrative businesses. The impact of the PPA expiry is immaterial as Port Dickson Power only contributed to 1.4% of Sime's group net profit for financial year 2012, Maybank said. Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank believes the higher gas price would be partly offset by capacity payment savings estimated to be RM200mil per annum. It said the announcement marked an important milestone in the power sector, benchmarking against the market price of energy, open bidding system and more transparency in the system.

Published: Wednesday October 10, 2012 MYT 5:45:00 PM Updated: Wednesday October 10, 2012 MYT 9:20:47 PM

TNB temporarily halts meter replacement exercise

By NICHOLAS CHENG
KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd has halted the replacement of electricity meters until a standard operating procedure is in place, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui. This comes after complaints from consumers that the upgrading of electro-mechanical meters to new digital meters had led to higher electricity bills, including retrospective charges. TNB has stopped its operation to replace the old meters and is in discussion with the ministry to come up with a standard operating procedure to boost consumer confidence. The operation will still continue but our first task is educate the public on the new meters, he said after launching the 3rd International Greentechnology Conference Malaysia at the KL Convention Centre here on Wednesday. Chin, however, added that the replacement exercise would still apply to households with faulty meters and consumers who are suspected of stealing electricity.

Wednesday October 31, 2012

Public want land near TNB cables to be put to good use

By PRIYA MENON priya@thestar.com.my

Ideal location: This land beneath high-tension cables in Section 10, Petaling Jaya has been turned into a parking lot. EMPTY plots of land beneath high-tension electricity cables are a common sight in the Klang Valley but many are now asking if these pockets of land can be turned into something useful for the community in the area. More often than not, the land is left idle and filled with undergrowth or used as a dumping ground. It then becomes a nightmare for residents living nearby who have to deal with unneccesary problems. The issue plagues residents of Section 14, Petaling Jaya, who have long battled for a solution for the land beneath the high-tension cables near Jalan 14/1, next to the Asia Jaya LRT station. Their idea is to turn the empty plot of land into a park that will serve the residents as a recreational area as well as a proper pathway for those heading to the Asia Jaya LRT station. The land is not well-maintained. Occasionally, Tenaga Nasional Berhad will get someone to cut the grass but that is just a temporary solution, said Section 14A Residents Association pro-tem committee member P. Nagarajan. He said snakes entering houses had become a normal occurrence for the residents in the area.

Many of them now tread carefully even inside the house for fear of stepping on the slithery visitors. Section 14A Residents Association pro-tem committee secretary Dr Malini Shanmuganathan said turning the area into a park would help deter crime.

Put to good use: This empty plot of land in Cheras is being used as a carpark by nearby residents. However the surrounding is still unkempt. Now, thieves hide in the bushes and wait for an opportunity, she said, adding that installing floodlights would help brighten the area and keep it safe. They can also fence it up. Now lorries come in to dump construction waste, she said. Another committee member Tay Kok Yong said sometimes cut grass is not cleared away, creating a mess. He said dried leaves and the cut grass were fire hazards and he had seen these catching fire on numerous occasions. He fears that if a solution is not found soon, the fire may spread to the houses. In Bukit Tinggi and Bandar Botanic Klang, the area near the pylons in Persiaran Batu Nilam 2 have been idle for sometime but residents are unsure what to do with it. Bandar Bukit Tinggi Klang residents association secretary Kam Swee Khow said someone was currently operating a nursery beneath the high-tension cables while another patch had been turned into a resting place for cattle.

He said residents were also wary of the side-effects of the cables. Some residents have told me that they have felt static electricity running through their body after they touch a car that had been parked near or underneath the cables overnight, he said. Kam said if there was a provision under the law that allowed them to turn the plots of land into something useful, they were willing to look into it. He said a carpark would be more appropriate in their neighbourhood. It is definitely a good idea to turn the area into something useful such as a carpark for the people but this must be done with approval from the authority, he added. As for Bandar Sri Damansara residents, they are still sceptical about using the land for any purpose due to the high voltage. Bandar Sri Damansara Residents Association former secretary Karen Sharma said it was too dangerous to have anything beneath the cables. However, earlier this year the committee asked for lights along a 100m stretch of TNB hightension cables at the Sungai Buloh entrance to the area. TNB turned down their request, saying thiscould not be done because of the pylons. They said it was dangerous but this has been done near the Taman Jaya LRT station. If we cannot use it, at least the area must be well lit and well maintained, she said. These residents associations are now looking into a precedent case in Section 10, Petaling Jaya. The land beneath the cables have been turned into carparks for the residents and those using the Taman Jaya LRT station.

Sheer waste: Idle land in Jalan 14/4 and Jalan 14/5 in Petaling Jaya covered with undergrowth.

Section 10 Residents Association president Ronald Danker said it took the association some years to turn the place into a carpark. So far, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has turned half of the land into a carpark and it is said the remaining half, extending all the way to Taman Jaya, would follow suit. The carpark has proven to be useful for residents and church-goers who attend service at the St Francis Xavier church and Gospel Hall, Danker said. He said earlier there were two occupants, a bonsai plant operator and a flower garden operator but that they only used part of the land while the other half was in a mess. Danker said after the conversion, residents faced less problems, with the area made brighter and safer with lighting and partial fencing put up along Jalan 10/6a. It is definitely a positive change since it serves a purpose for everyone, he added. MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez said their pilot project was the carpark in Section 10. He said other areas in Petaling Jaya had also been identified for this purpose, including the area near Taman Aman. There is a masterplan and the area has been earmarked for a carpark as well as a greenwalkway, including a bicycle pathway, he said. He said it was valuable land and that it would be ideal if TNB could build the facilities underground. TNB, however, had said based on legal grounds, this was not possible. Fernandez said the land should be used productively and that carparks as well as bus depots were most needed in urban and suburban areas. The carparks and buses provide a linkage for transportation and we started providing free public carparks in Section 10 and will do the same in Taman Aman, he added. As for Section 14, the area has been identified for a carpark and a walkway that will be useful for those using the LRT. Kuala Lumpur City Halls (DBKL)media officer Zurida Hashim said so far they have allowed private companies to lease the land for carparks and nurseries only. She said DBKL pays TOL to the land office while the land users pay rent to DBKL. The carpark is located in Jalan Jejaka in Taman Maluri, Cheras, while the nursery is located in Taman Gembira, Petaling. The carpark is rented out for four sen per feet while the nursery is leased for two sen per feet, she added.

Wednesday October 31, 2012

TNB: There is provision for land conversion

PUTTING land under Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) pylons to good use is now possible. TNB vice-president (Corporate Affairs and Communications) Adelina Iskandar said they had a provision to turn the land into parks or carparks but that there were several factors to be taken into consideration, including land ownership. Many people have been confused over the ownership of the land, prompting them to ask for land use from the wrong department. Adelina said there were two categories of land government andstate land which come under the Land Office and private owners as well as TNB land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act (APT) 1960. She said ownership of the land can be verified at the land office. Generally, state land is leased out with the consent of the Government via Temporary Occupancy License (TOL) to individuals or companies who have specified their intended activities and have obtained prior permission or no objection declaration from TNB, she said. She added that for privately-owned land, there must be evidence to show agreement from the owner. The approval can be given for certain activities to be carried out in the transmission Right Of Way (ROW) with a width of 20m to the left and 20m to the right from the centre of the tower. Adelina said in cases where land had been turned into parks, car parks or nurseries, it was part of TNBs requirement that the applicant must obtain prior consent from the land owner, who is either private or individuals or the Government. A letter of undertaking (LOU) will then be signed between TNB and the applicant, listing out the activities that can be undertaken under the lines and conditions to be fully adhered to by the applicant (for safety reason). In addition, the LOU stipulates that all liabilities rest with the applicant. When contacted, Federal Territories Land and Mineral director-general Datuk Azemi Kasim said the TOL is issued every year and renewable. He added that they allowed land to be used for short-term cash crops, as nurseries or farms. There is no problem in applying for this. Those looking at converting and sharing the strip of land are welcome to do so, he added.

Addressing fears of residents on the dangers of using the land, Adelina said there was no immediate danger as long as the activities complied with TNBs safety rules and regulations. However, the issue of control over children at the park can be a great challenge, including flying kites and climbing towers, she said. As for maintenance of the land, it is primarily the responsibility of the landowner. Nevertheless, in order to ensure the security of the transmission systems, to prevent the systems from any unwanted interference and to safeguard the safety of the public, TNB carries out maintenance at the strip of land below and adjacent to the high voltage supply lines, especially within ROW. Adelina also added that TNB responded quickly to any complaints from the residents regarding the empty space. TNB has received many complaints from residents regarding overgrown grass, ponds, rubbish dumping and illegal activities under the line. We have taken steps to resolve all these. In the case of illegal dumping, for instance, we work with the local authorities to clear the rubbish and TNB will then fence up the area to prevent similar activities from recurring, she said. In fact, TNB has several success stories, turning the TNB reserve lands into productive strips like oxidation ponds, nurseries, pineapple farm, dragon fruit farm, padi fields and carparks.