TNB Told to take lead on Smart Grid

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has been asked by the government to lead the development of new ideas and solution for the country’s Smart Grid programme while advancing regional collaborations in South-East Asia.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry secretary-general Loo Took Gee challenged the state utility to produce tangible results as they work “with our Asean counterparts for the Asean Power Grid concept”.

On a bilateral basis, the country has already established relationships with Singapore and Thailand.

“Most Asean ministers are looking forward to congruence in the system of the Asean Power Grid to optimise the use of energy resources in the region and more tangible outcomes of what we’ve been talking about over the past 15 years on energy cooperation in the region,” she said.

Loo admitted that while technical expertise may be ready, policymakers have been slow in acting on demand.

Loo was delivering her keynote address on Smart Grid Evolution in Asia at the Asia Pacific Smart Grid Conference 2014 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

“We need to get our act together,” she said, adding that the support of the government is key, particularly in policy formulation and implementation.

She said to date, TNB has successfully embarked on a scheme “Smart Grid Development for Efficient and Intelligent Supply Delivery” with some funding from the ministry, to develop the advance metering infrastructure as a pilot demonstration project which included the installation of 1,000 smart meters in both Putrajaya (200 smart meters) and Malacca (800 smart meters).

“The downside of such installations is the public outcry,” she said, commenting on an earlier initiative to switch from analogue to digital metering systems in Putrajaya and Malacca. The consumers were upset as the meters measured a higher reading of electricity consumption than previously, ie a 100% hike in electricity bills.