Hundred Years Of Electricity In Malaysia

FDC

Brochure of Hundred Years Of Electricity In Malaysia

Date of issue: 3rd September 1994
Country: Malaysia

Electricity, first made its unheralded appearance late last century. Once a curiosity for the masses and an exciting novelty for the privileged few, electricity's popularity as a clean and non-polluting source of energy saw its eventual introduction into the daily lives of the people from all walks of life. Electricity is now available country wide and is undoubtedly the catalyst for this nation's march towards achieving social and economic prominence.

Electricity supply began in the year 1894 when an electric generator was installed by Loke Yew and Thamboosamy Pillay to work their tin mine in a little known town of Rawang in Malaysia (now Peninsular Malaysia). The year 1900 marked the operation of the very first power station in the country- the Sempam Hydroelectric Power Station in Raub, Pahang, commissioned by the Raub Australian Gold Mining C0. Ltd.

The first public electricity supply in the Peninsula was inaugurated in Pulau Pinang on July 14, 1904 with the operation of the Sungai Pinang Power Station by the local municipality. A total of 15 consumes and 41 street lights were given electricity supply.

Kuala Lumpur quickly followed with its first public supply in 1905 with the completion of the Ulu Gombak Hydroelectricity Power Station by the Public Works Department. Demand for the electricity grew rapidly with supplies extended to a number of towns in the state of Perak (1910) and other states in the towns of Seramban (1911), Malacca (1912), Bukit Mertajam (1916), Johore Bahru (1919), Alor Setar (1920), Sungai Petani (1920) and Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan) in 1926. Supplies were initiated by private enterprise Huttenbachs Co. Ltd. in the towns of the Peninsula whilst the Malacca Light Co. and United Engineers Ltd. provided supplies to Malacca and Seremban respectively.

The year 1927 saw the establishment of the Electrical Department to develop a national approach for the extension of electricity supply in the Peninsula. The electrical Department provided supplies to a number of towns in the states of Selangor, Perak, Pahang and Johor. Private electric supplies continued to be developed particularly in some parts of Perak, the biggest being Perak River Hydro Electric Power Company Ltd. (PRHEP) and Kinta Electrical Distribution Co. Ltd. (KED).

Meanwhile, in North Bornea (now Sabah), the town of Sandakan was the first to enjoy the benefits of public electricity supply in 1922. The Sandakan Light & Power Co. Ltd. operated a 1,964kW power station burning waste timber from the nearby British Borneo Timber Co. Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) and Labuan followed with supplies from Jesselton Ice Co. Ltd. and the rural Board respectively. The Public Works Department was made responsible for the overall development of electricity infrastructure in 1951. An advisory board, the North Borneo Electricity Board was formed in 1954.

Sabah's neighbour, Sarawak had its first taste of electricity in the year 1923. On June 15 that year, some 84 consumers in Kuching town received electricity supply from two 250kW generating sets operated by the Electricity Section in the Public Works Department. Sibu and Mukah were next to recieve public electricity supply. Due to the difficulties faced in developing the electricity infrastructure, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke formed the Sarawak Electricity Supply Co.Ltd. (SESCO) with United Engineers Ltd. of Singapore in 1932.

The Second World War and Japanese invasion in 1941 disrupted the development of electricity supply industry in the country. The retreating British administration deliberately damaged the infrastructure. The occupying Japanese forces were able to a small extent restore and operate the badly damages equipment. The post World War Two period saw the return of the British Administration and the massive rehabilitation of the electricity infrastructure.

A government statutory body, the Central Electricity Board- CEB (renamed National Electricity Board in 1965 to meet the nation's aspirations) was established in 1949 to consolidate and centralize the development of electricity supply in the Peninsula.

Malaya gained independence in 1957 whilst Sarawak and Sabah became independent in 1963 when they joined the Peninsula forming Malaysia. The post independence era was a period of fast paced development in the electricity sector. NEB completed the take over of all the private electricity supply companies in the Peninsula in stages by 1982. Sarwak electricity Supply Co. (renamed Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation) and Sabah Electricity Board (formerly North Borneo Electricity Board) were taken over by the government to ensure speedy electrification of the states.

In the line with the government's privatization program, the National Electricity Board was corporatized in September, 1990 and subsequently privatized. However, the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation and the Sabah Electricity Board still remain as government entities.

Electricity supply in Malaysia today is provided by three utilities which have responsibilities for distinct geographical regions of the country. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) the successor public listed company to the government statutory body National Electricity Board (NEB) generates, transmits and distributes electrical energy to all the states in Peninsular Malaysia whilst two smaller public utilities, the Sarawak Electricity Board (SEB) provide supplies to the states of Sarawak and Sabah respectively.

The development of electricity supply industry in this country during the last 100 years is not just a chronology of technical achievements. It is the vision, spirited resourcefulness, relentless endeavour and undying dedication of the people behind the electricity business working in harmony with machines that have set the pace towards putting Malaysia into the world map of developed industralized nations. This nation salutes them.