Kota 2 commissioned in Sarawak, Malaysia

Austria’s Gugler Water Turbines announced on 4 June the commissioning of the Kota 2 hydropower plant on behalf of Sarawak Energy, the state-owned electricity utility serving the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

Gugler supplied all electromechanical equipment for the project including the Francis turbines, generators, hydraulic power units, inlet valves, cooling circuits for the cooling of the generators, electrical control and protection systems, medium voltage switchgears, transformers and a state-of-the-art SCADA system.

The small hydropower station is designed to displace expensive diesel generation and help to provide much needed generation capacity for the isolated Lawas power grid. Its commissioning is expected to limit the need for diesel generation to low flow periods only, significantly reducing the cost of energy production. Previously, the Lawas District, with an estimated population of around 35 000, was only supplied by two mini-hydro schemes and a diesel power station.

Entura carried out a feasibility study, as well as subsequently preparing preliminary design, tender design drawings and documentation for Kota 2 between 2013 and 2015.