Prepaid electricity meters for Tawau squatters
Published on: Sunday, February 25, 2024
By: Bernama
Chief Executive Officer Mohd Yaakob Jaafar said the latest special IPD project with prepaid meters for electricity supply will be implemented in the squatter settlement area in Tawau district, the second location after Kampung Forest in Sandakan.
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) is expanding the implementation of the independent power distributor (IPD) initiative with prepaid meters to address illegal electricity supply connections, especially in squatter settlements in the State.
Its Chief Executive Officer Mohd Yaakob Jaafar said the latest special IPD project with prepaid meters for electricity supply will be implemented in the squatter settlement area in Tawau district, the second location after Kampung Forest in Sandakan.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said the implementation of the IPD project in Kampung Forest, Sandakan, in October 2023 had succeeded in minimising the occurrence of electricity supply disruptions, vandalism and the quality of electricity supply in the surrounding area.
“The implementation of the IPD project in Kampung Forest, Sandakan also proves that this project is the answer to the issue of illegal connection which is very detrimental to SESB because we cannot collect revenue from electricity consumption,” he said in a statement, Saturday.
Mohd Yaakob said SESB had recently started the initial survey process to obtain information and scope to implement the IPD project in Tawau.
He said the proposed implementation of the IPD project was shared with Tawau Member of Parliament Datuk Lo Su Fui during the latter’s visit to Kampung Hidayat, Tawau, on Thursday (Feb 22) which was also attended by SESB Chairman Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The proposed implementation of this project will then be submitted to the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) to obtain an IPD licence and sales tariff rate.
Meanwhile, he said SESB is also working with ECoS to ensure that electricity can be supplied to residents in several villages in Kota Belud.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said the electricity supply facility that was channelled to the 19 villages was under the Rural Electricity Supply (BELB) project under the purview of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW).
Mohd Yaakob added that the SESB expects all the villages involved in the project to get electricity supply next month (March).
“SESB is fully cooperating with ECoS to monitor the progress and status of the project which is now 95 per cent complete,” he said.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
