Government Launch Battery Energy Storage System

The State Government has kept its promise to deliver stable, sufficient and affordable electricity to the east coast. Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Works and Utility, represented Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor, at the launching event of the Battery Energy Storage System Lahad Datu (BESS Lahad Datu), on 12 December 2025 officiated by Head of State Tun Musa Aman at the Sabah International Convention Centre, Kota Kinabalu. BESS – which is under the purview of Sabah Electricity - will reduce power interruption risks for people in the East Coast.

“BESS Lahad Datu - the biggest energy storage facility in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia - is designed to enhance grid stability, reduce dependence on diesel and supporting renewable energy integration in the state. BESS and several other initiatives are part of the Sabah Energy Roadmap and Masterplan 2040 (SERAMP 2040) which focusses on three core principles: energy security, cost affordability, and environmental sustainability,” ” Hajiji said in the speech delivered by Gunsalam. “

Sabah has begun managing its own energy programs since January 2024 after the Federal Government transferred regulatory logistics to Sabah. The GRS Government has set up the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS) to handle the state’s energy needs. ECoS has launched Large-Scale Solar (LSS) bids targeting solar power plant development from 1MWac up to 15MWac in 2024. From the bids, 15 projects with a total capacity of 199MW - 113MW are in the West Coast and 86 MW in the East Coast.

The LSS capacity in Sabah will exceed 350 MW by 2027, which is equivalent to 23 per cent of the state’s total electricity generation capacity mix. Another Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic (LSSPV) project in Kota Marudu, expected to be completed by 2026, will further boost Sabah's energy capacity. In his speech, Hajiji has suggested that the energy storage technology should be introduced in several strategic locations to reduce power interruptions and support renewable energy integration with the main grid. Sabah Electricity is engaging with the Community Development Leader Unit (Unit Pemimpin Pembangunan Masyarakat or UPPM) to implement various initiatives such as the Sabah Renewable Energy Electrification Roadmap (SabahRE2) to boost electricity supply to rural areas and interior. Sabah Electricity, ECoS and federal agencies will continue to improve the energy ecosystem in Sabah, Hajiji added.