Bakun Dam
Bakun Dam
Bakun Dam is located on the Batang Balui, a
tributary of the Sg. Rajang, 37 km upstream of Belaga
Batang Balui has a length of 341 km and 15 354 m2
catchment area with the highest peak originating from Mount Makati at 1360 m.
Bakun Dam was constructed on the sole purpose for
hydroelectric energy to meet the high demand from the industries instead of domestic.
The dam will have an ultimate installed capacity of
2400 MW comprising 4 x 300 MW turbines in the first phase and 4 x 300 MW turbines in the second
phase.
Built as a Concrete Faced Rock Fill Dam (CFRD), The height of the dam is 207 m with an approximate
crest length of 748 m and a fill volume of 117M m3.
The flood area of the dam is 69 640 hectares and
has a catchment area over 1.5M hectares.
The dam is complete with 8 power tunnels,
powerhouse and spillway
Township is also built within the area of the dam for
employees and owners of Bakun Dam. The
accommodations inclusive of houses, barracks, guest chalets and club house.
Issues on Bakun
Resettlement Safety
Issues on Bakun - resettlement
Resettlement had involved the relocation of the
population of the upper Balui in the Belaga river system.
The state of Sarawak through the State Planning
Unit had created a new section known as Special Task Section for Resettlement had been in charge on the relocation of the indigenous people
More than 10 000 people from 15 different
communities have been forced to move to Kampung Sungau Asap and Kampung Sungai Koyan through a codename of ‘Operation Exodus’.
At the resettlement area, people are suffering from
poverty, malnutrition, unemployment and adverse socio-economic conditions.
There are claims that the house units at the Asap
Resettlement Scheme were not in accordance with that promised in the relocation plan (Swain & Ang, 2004).
There were further claims that, the compensation have
not been fully fulfilled until present time. They were
promised 15 hectares per family before relocation instead the actual acreage allocated for them finally was only 3 acres.
Due to deteriorating conditions of the resettlement area,
some communities have moved back to their original homes in the inundation zone by building jelatong and staying in the vicinity of the dam. They have established new villages near the dam fish, hunt and farm the land nearby the dam.
Issues on Bakun - Safety
A group of citizen who residing downstream of
Bakun Dam claimed that they have been kept in the dark over the content of the Emergency Rescue Plan (EPR).
The Sarawak Conservation Alliance for Natural
Environment (Scane) has called upon the
government to make public its Emergency Rescue Plan (ERP) prior to the impoundment of the dam.
The Sarawak Hidro managing director and chief
executive officer Zulkifle Osman claimed that the dam will not break due to its solid foundation and
has been in perfect condition since the impoundment in October 2011
Upon completion, the dam will be scrutinised and
check by an international independent panel of experts once in every 10 years.
He further assured that the dam is monitored on
daily basis and reading will be sent to the state
government’s security committee once every three to four months for review.
Issues on Bakun-Hydropower
Bakun Dam coincides the core of Sarawak Corridor
of Renewable Energy (SCORE) in energy resources, particularly in hydropower, coal and natural gas.
The estimated investment on the projects is RM94
bil and in 2030 an investment of RM300 will
transform Sarawak into an industrialized state and energy hub of Borneo.
Therefore, the state needs to guarantee a
sustainable energy supply at a competitive rate in order to encourage continuous inflows of
Adding up all the dams’ total combined capacity is
4500 MW.
With the excessive power available there is an issue
where the power should go and how they can be fully utilized for people.
Suggestions are bound to leave the dams idle such
Mitigation efforts - resettlement
The solution to social problems created must be
solved through policy formulation and legal frameworks
That must be complimented with the followings:
A population and baseline income survey as part of
feasibility study
A detailed resettlement plan for people’s socio-economic
re-establishment
A relocation timetable correlated with advances in civil
works
A distinct budget for resettlement
Mitigation efforts
–
safety: Emergency Action
Plan (PNSB)
Level Alert Triggering event Action
1 Low Spill expected Release reservoir water from the lower level of the draw-off tower
2 Medium High rainfall and spill continues. Reservoir level above maximum.
Rapid increase in seepage quantity and seepage water is murky
Set up Emergency Task Team. Check with Jabatan Kajicuaca on the forward weather forecasting.
Consult SMHB for advice on rapid drawdown of reservoir. Inform District Office of possible flooding close to the dam and need for evacuation. Contact Civil Defense Dept. To standby.
3 High High rainfall and spill continues. Reservoir level above maximum
Dam failure considered possible.
Contact emergency services and place them on full alert. Inform them of the need to establish emergency control centre and evacuation of affected area as per inundation maps.
For alert level 3 and 4, JKAS will contact the followings
organization:
State administration to inform the potential disaster and
mobilize disaster relief machineries
Army to set up control centre, start evacuation procedure and
maintain civil order,
Police to start evacuation procedures and maintain civil order District Offices and Civil Defense Department to aid the
evacuation procedures.
Medical services to be alert on receiving casualties
Fire and rescue services to be alert for disaster relief and
rescue
Local radio and TV stations to coordinate information services
and warnings to the public
Mitigation efforts
–
excessive energy
The National Energy Policy 1979 was aimed to
ensure the provision of sufficient, secure and cost-effective energy supplies by developing both
renewable and non renewable energy using least cost options and diversification of supply sources both within and outside Malaysia.
Therefore, excessive power of Bakun Dam should
be utilized accordingly to the energy needs inventory of the policy, not only for industrial but also domestic.
