KOTA KINABALU: The Tenom Pangi Hydro Power Plant is expected to fully resume operations this March, some 16 months after being shut down because of landslides.

       The plant, belonging to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), was temporarily shut down on Nov 1, 2022.

       It will be up and running once the Unit 3 turbine with a 22MW capacity is fully restored.

       Works to fix the Unit 3 components have been completed at the Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) Remaco Repair Centre and they will be installed soon at the Tenom plant.

       ALSO READ: Floods: Tenom hydropower plant shut down due to landslides, overall supply not affected

       SESB senior manager (asset management) Idris Mohd Noor said efforts to clean up the hydro tunnel were also ongoing.

       "Once work is completed, the water from the Padas River will be channelled through the tunnel to rotate the Unit 3 turbine," he said in a statement on Monday (Jan 1).

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       For safety reasons, the plant had to be shut down after landslides occurred along the road leading to it.

       ALSO READ: Tenom Pangi hydro power plant temporary shutdown should serve as lesson in future disasters, says expert

       The landslides were reported early Nov 1, with water flows and large rocks falling onto the intake gate.

       Idris said SESB will apply for Energy Commission approval to rent and install generators at selected locations to increase the reserve capacity supply margin in the power grid.

       These include a 10MW generator at the Tawau station with various generator sets capable of generating up to 30MW placed at the Labuk station in Sandakan.