Bakun Dam
The Bakun Dam (Malay: Empangan Bakun) is an embankment dam located in Belaga District, Kapit Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the Balui River, a tributary or source of the Rajang River and some sixty kilometres east of Belaga. As part of the project, the second tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam in the world would be built. It would generate 2,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity once completed.
| Bakun Dam | |
|---|---|
The dam under construction in June 2009 | |
Location of Bakun Dam in Malaysia | |
| Location | Sarawak Malaysia |
| Coordinates | 02°45′23″N 114°03′47″E |
| Construction began | 1996 |
| Opening date | 2011 |
| Owner(s) | Sarawak Energy Berhad Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd (Operator) |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment, concrete face rock-fill |
| Impounds | Balui River |
| Height | 205 m (673 ft) |
| Length | 750 m (2,461 ft) |
| Spillway type | Service, controlled stepped chute |
| Spillway capacity | 15,000 m3/s (530,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Bakun Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 43,800,000,000 m3 (35,500,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 14,750 km2 (5,695 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 695 km2 (268 sq mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Turbines | 8 × 300 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 2,400 MW |
| Website | |
The purpose for the dam was to meet growing demand for electricity. However, most of this demand is said to lie in Peninsular Malaysia and not East Malaysia, where the dam is located. Even in Peninsular Malaysia, however, there is an oversupply of electricity, with Tenaga Nasional Berhad being locked into unfavourable purchasing agreements with Independent Power Producers. The original idea was to have 30% of the generated capacity consumed in East Malaysia and the rest transmitted to Peninsular Malaysia. This plan envisioned 730 km of overhead HVDC transmission lines in East Malaysia, 670 km of undersea HVDC cable and 300 km of HVDC transmission line in Peninsular Malaysia.
Future plans for the dam include connecting it to an envisioned Trans-Borneo Power Grid Interconnection, which would be a grid to supply power to Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei, and Kalimantan (Indonesia). There have been mentions of this grid made within ASEAN meetings but no actions have been taken by any party. Bakun Dam came online on 6 August 2011. As of 2015, Bakun Dam is the biggest dam in Southeast Asia.
On 16 August 2017, Sarawak Energy completes acquisition of Bakun HEP from Federal Government. Under the deal, the Sarawak government will pay Putrajaya RM2.5 billion and take over the remaining RM6.4 billion remaining debts. Prime Minister Najib Razak handed over the dam to the Sarawak government on 5 April 2018.