Malakoff Corp Bhd is constructing three run-of-river small hydropower plants along the Sungai Galas in Kelantan. The project consists of the Serasa, Kemubu, and Kuala Geris plants, providing a combined capacity of 84MW to the Malaysian grid. These low-head plants are designed to minimize ecological impact by avoiding large reservoirs. The initiative aims to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 272,424 tonnes while supporting Malaysia's goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Log in to join the discussion
Malakoff is building three small hydro plants in Kelantan for a total of 84MW. It is a run of river setup, so no big dams. Worth reading for those tracking Malaysia's energy transition.
84MW is a decent addition for rural electrification, but I wonder about the seasonal flow of Sungai Galas. Does the 84MW represent nameplate capacity or a realistic average output?
This fits the National Energy Transition Roadmap. The real test is whether these small hydro projects get the same procurement priority as large scale solar in the long run.
The article mentions 272,424 tonnes of CO2 saved per year. I would like to see the baseline they used for that calculation to know if it is actually displacing coal or just adding new capacity.
