TNB Talks

GHG Emission Inventory and Reduction Program

In August 2007, TNB started the first phase of a 4-month project to study areas with potential for increase in emission reduction projects within our core activities (namely generation, transmission & distribution). With the completion of the phase 1, a more detailed study will be conducted at Phase 2. This second phase is expected to entail the implementation of the identified projects that will result in an emission reduction.

Both of these projects (and their consequent offshoots) are expected to allow engineers to conduct a GHG emission inventory for all our power plants. With global climatic change and the subsequent call for increase in environment conservation work, we recognize the need for electricity utilities to embark into a GHG, namely on SF6, inventory to quantify the emission and find ways to reduce damaging leakages into the atmosphere. TNB intends develop actions in order to minimize the leakage and where possible, we want to find alternative ways with an aim of substituting polluting gases.

As part of this effort, our wholly owned subsidiary TNB-Research has been mandated to develop a 5-year R&D program specifically addressing the climate change issues within all of our activities. This encompasses conducting a complete environmental planning for the generation sector, long-term planning and developing best practices for environmental compliance, and identification of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project potentials in our line of business.

Cleaner Generation Technologies

Our coal-fired Sultan Azlan Shah (SJSAS) power plant at Manjung, Perak already demonstrates our efforts in complying not only with national environmental standards but also with the World Bank environmental standards. The plant runs on clean coal technologies, including employing an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) to trap fly ash and the using Flue-Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) to reduce emission of sulphur dioxide (SOx) to the atmosphere. The plant, fondly known to TNB as Janamanjung, demonstrates the following World Bank standards on emissions: 

More recently, discussions have been made with Danish engineering consultant firm sanctioned by the Royal Danish Embassy to examine the feasibility of implementing Biomass Co-Firing in the power station. The Embassy just recently conducted a site visit to the SJSAS station to assess the site condition. The discussions have reached a stage where pre-feasibility has established.

The public can be assured that TNB our own internal targets on the energy efficiency of our plants and hence are always working to improve our plants’ efficiency. Currently, the target for efficiency improvement is to have from 0.5 to 1% reduction in heat rate (better efficiency) for its power plants. The latest TNB’s 750MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant at Port Dickson is the most efficient thermal plant in the nation (56% efficiency). Construction of the second phase is currently on-going for a second CGGT block.

We would like to point out that coal constitutes 32% of generation mix in Peninsular Malaysia. The other fuel mix is gas and hydro. Gas is known as less polluting than coal whereas hydro is considered renewable energy and has a very small carbon footprint. Our decision to embark on utilising coal is to create a more balanced generation mix in Peninsular Malaysia, therefore enhancing the security and reliability of energy supplies.

Efforts to improve existing power plant availability and efficiency include the implementation of Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) and Risk Based Inspection (RBI) on all TNB generating plants. This has resulted in an improved thermal efficiency achieved in the Financial Year FY 2007 (37.58%) as compared to that achieved in FY 2006 (36.22%)

We are pleased to note that all our TNB power plants are certified MS ISO 14001 (Environment). Annual Environmental Management Audits (EMS) based on MS ISO 14001 are conducted at all power stations by both TNB’s internal auditors and SIRIM QAS International (external auditors).

Renewable Energy

TNB very much supports the target to have 350MW of grid-connected renewable energy electricity by 2010. The previous target of having 5% by the year 2005 was not reached because of the difficulty of the interested developers in securing the financing. This problem has been mitigated by the more favourable commercial terms and conditions offered.

Renewable energy has been widely accepted by the global energy industry as a necessary means of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases to address the problem of global climatic warming. To date, TNB has signed 9 renewable-energy power purchase agreements (REPPAs) with Small Renewable Energy Power (SREP) developers in Peninsular Malaysia with a total export capacity of 49.8 MW

Recently, TNB has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd and Japan’s J-Power to develop a biomass power plant at Jengka, Pahang. The renewable energy project is planned for completion by end of 2010. Fuel to generate electrical energy will be sourced from palm oil empty fruit bunches (EFB). Occupying an area of 4.6 hectares, the plant complex will house EFB processing and storage areas, a biomass boiler firing on EFB fuel, a steam turbine complete with the generator unit and other related auxiliaries. To ensure full compliance to Department of Environment requirements, the plant will be equipped with stringent environmental control and monitoring systems. Upon completion, the plant will have a generation capacity of 10MW and will be connected to the TNB 11 kV grid network that supplies electricity to the local surrounding areas.

Hydro Power

When we cross the year 2010, hydropower is expected to play a prominent role to achieve a balanced generation mix in Peninsular Malaysia from its current contribution of 11% to 20% by the year 2020.

The development several large hydroelectric projects under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) spanning over a period of 22 years has the potential to generate 28,000 MW of electricity once fully developed. Amongst the projects which are already under way to be developed are the Murum dam (990MW), Balleh dam (950MW) and Pelagus dam (770MW) in the upper reaches of the Rejang river in Sarawak. Plans are also underway to export 5,000MW of power to Peninsular Malaysia via 500kV high-voltage direct current via overhead and undersea cables.

TNB has also recognized potential hydropower sources to be developed in Peninsular Malaysia, i.e. the Ulu Terengganu and Ulu Jelai hydropower projects. We do expect that this should bring in diversity to the current energy mix and reduce the dependence on coal for generation of electricity.

Transmission and Distribution Losses

T&D losses is is part of TNB’s headline KPIs tracked by Khazanah as part of the performance measures in the GLC Transformation Plan. The FY07/08 KPI target is 9.5%. Various projects to achieve this end are currently in implementation. This includes the standardization of medium voltage levels to 33kV and 11kV level at the distribution level. Capacitors are also being planted to increase the efficiency of power being distributed.

The reduction in transmission losses will directly reduced the generation requirements to produce the same amount of electricity requires on the grids, with subsequent reductions in GHG emissions.

As mentioned in the article, T&D losses can be minimized by locating the power plants near to the load centres. However, it is difficult to do as such since there no available suitable sites to position large central power station. The sites that are available may not have the necessary supporting infrastructures such as access to the sea for cooling purposes and supply of fuel. The current locations of power plants in Peninsular Malaysia are already strategically chosen to ensure an even balance of supply and demand in the many regions.

Other Programs

In 2001, TNB planned to invest in Tree Planting Program as part of the CO2 sequestration project. However the request in getting the degraded area approximately 100ha to plant trees was not entertained by the state government.

We have held our own Seminar on Climate Change on an annual basis. This is jointly organized with TNB Research with the objectives to educate TNB Engineers and Managers the importance of these issues.