Here's How TNB Aims To Improve Power Quality & Pave The Way For Renewable Energy In M'sia

Subscribe to our Telegram channel for our latest stories and breaking news.

This Spotlight is sponsored by TNB.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation in Malaysia, which led to an increase in heavy usage of technology among users. Hence, TNB has taken the necessary steps to both ensure power quality and restart the economy by modernising the National Grid with their programme.

During an interview with The Malaysian Reserve, TNB's Chief Grid Officer, Datuk Husaini Husin, said that since the nation is more digitally-driven, the power grid must be capable of ensuring power stability.

"We are becoming smarter in technology, which means we are also becoming more technologically-intensive.

"Just a small flicker of electricity supply can make productivity difficult, so we look to ensure TNB delivers the power quality," Datuk Husaini said.

With this investment, it is projected to deliver an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) impact of RM20 billion, as well as create over 300,000 jobs in the next three years.

The great thing about the Grid Of The Future programme is that there are six investment categories, which are new grid connection, grid refurbishment, safety and environment compliance, self-healing grid, grid digital intelligence infrastructure, and smart tools and equipment.

This can be seen by TNB's efforts to digitalise the grid to improve operational efficiency. Datuk Husaini has also said that this smart grid would help increase network reliability and grid control to allow for better troubleshooting, as well as increase integration of distributed energy resources and renewable energy.

"We also look to unleash workforce capability to improve in customer-facing areas and customer service on top of excelling under the incentive-based regulation, thus improving productivity and practising a high safety culture.

"Other key focus areas include supporting government-led initiatives to help drive the energy transition in Malaysia, as well as digitalising business interfaces which will improve productivity," he said.

The grid has played an important role in TNB's efforts for energy transformation, and the company is investing heavily in the national grid to improve its capacity to reliably and efficiently support the growing generation of renewable energy by its prosumers.

As the grid becomes fully automated, customers and workers will be able to better manage the consumption and supply of energy.

To ensure a safe, secure, and reliable national grid system, TNB's strategy is to leverage new technology and improve efficiency by creating a self-healing grid, and utilising demand management more effectively.

According to Datuk Husaini, the grid's peak demand has decreased marginally this year as a result of the movement control order and mobility restrictions, which have reduced commercial power use.

"The peak demand has decreased marginally in the Peninsular to 18,808 megawatt-hours, but with the re-opening of the economy and business, it will increase back to pre-Covid levels and likely even more," he said.

TNB aims to work together with the government to understand the implications, continue to support the lives and livelihoods of Malaysians, and determine ways to limit immediate impacts, all while charting a path to a swift and lasting recovery.

One of TNB's initiatives, known as TNB’s Reskilling Malaysia Programme, was established to reskill and upskill Malaysia's workforce via UNITEN, ILSAS, and various other training bodies. This will be especially useful for those who are unemployed or retrenched, as they can gain employment by participating in the training courses required for selected industries. All courses under this programme are applicable and open to non-TNB employees.

TNB's Reskilling Malaysia Programme aims to provide training to 5,000 people by 2021, with a total of 17,500 people trained by 2024.

Take a look at all our Spotlight stories to date here.