New Straits Times

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/24dam/Article/index_html

12 experts to study impact of Sarawak dams

KUCHING: The state government has hired 12 international consultants to conduct studies on the proposed construction of the 12 dams which would generate some 30,000MW of hydropower for Kuching, said Public Utilities Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan yesterday.

He said they would study the social, environment and physical aspects of the dams, including the earth's seismic movements.

Awang Tengah, who is also the second minister of planning and resource management, said based on earlier studies, the construction of the dams was not likely to cause earthquakes although slight seismic movements might occur.

"All aspects must be studied thoroughly by the experts," he told reporters after the opening of Asia 2010 -- the 3rd International Conference on Water Resources and Renewable Energy Development at the Borneo Convention Centre here.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud opened the three-day conference which saw the participation of 600 delegates from 46 nations.

Awang Tengah said the hydropower produced by the dams would be used by industries within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score).

He added the hydropower would be exported to Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Brunei.

Earlier, Taib said Score had attracted some RM30 billion worth of investments.

Score, he added, was expected to contribute between RM70 billion and RM80 billion in gross domestic product by 2020 and RM180 billion by 2030.

Score is one of the five regional economic corridors being developed in Malaysia. Among the energy-intensive industries to be set up are aluminium, glass, steel and oil-based plants and marine engineering.

Located within central Sarawak, Score stretches some 320km along the coast from Tanjung Manis to Similajau and extending to the surrounding areas and the hinterland.