Extracted from Malaysiakini.com

SAM: 'Submarine' cables pose many risks

Jan 15, 07 11:59am

An environmental group has expressed disappointment with the government’s intention to construct ‘submarine’ cables for the Bakun hydroelectric project in Sarawak.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) today reiterated long standing concerns that the project is not only expensive but environmentally unsound as well.

Although the government shelved the project in 1999 following financial difficulties, it is being revived to channel the excess supply of power from Sarawak to the peninsular.

However, SAM president SM Mohamed Idris said reviving the project is akin to finding new ways to use a technology considered obsolete in many developed countries.

He said these countries are moving towards cleaner, efficient, renewable and environmentally friendly energy resources.

“The government should in fact be clear and transparent in its energy resource planning for future needs, including developing and promoting Malaysia’s potential in other cleaner energy technologies, for example, solar energy,” he added in a statement today.

He said SAM learnt that operations in the warm waters would apparently result in the cables weighing around 60kg per metre and stretching for 700km. The entire system would weigh some 42,000 tonnes.

“Ships may have to be specially re-designed or built to lay the cables. Large expenses will also be incurred in locating and preparing the seabed trenches to lay the cables as well as building maintenance stations.

“Further transmission loss and maintenance works in the future will continue to pose technical and financial challenges to the project proponents. Project delays or technical problems during the cabling process would also result in budget overruns,” he added.

Diplomatic concerns

Mohamed Idris said undersea cables also posed serious environmental problems in the vulnerable underwater eco-system surrounding the Indonesian and Malaysian waters.

The recent earthquake in Taiwan which also damaged the underwater telecommunication cables is proof enough to show the impacts that might befall, he pointed out.

“Any major disaster in the surrounding area might adversely affect the project and the cost involved might not only be in financial terms,” he warned.

Apart from this, Mohamed Idris said many were unaware that for the most part of it, the South China Sea, between the peninsular and Borneo is under the marine territories of Indonesia.

“As such, the bulk of the cables will be passing through Indonesian waters, which can give rise to diplomatic and security concerns.

“Although there is a current bilateral treaty which allows Malaysia to build cables connecting the peninsular with Sabah and Sarawak, legal complications and possibly issues on financial payments will have to be addressed,” he added.

He said SAM believes that the wisest option for the government is to actually scale down the project to avoid any further financial losses and environmental destruction.

“SAM is certainly troubled that the government is still mulling to resolve Bakun through exorbitant and high stake options,” he added.

Mohamed Idris said if the government continues to press on with the construction of the cables, SAM demands that a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is commissioned.