SMEC to review design of 3 small hydropower projects in Sabah, Malaysia
Currently, Sg Bengkoka Lower is completed and commissioned, but the project suffered damages due to flood and was unable to achieve its design capacity.
SMEC has been engaged to review the design and propose any modifications required for three small hydropower plants in Sg Bengkoka Upper, Sg Bengkoka Lower and Sg Togohu in Kota Marudu, Sabah, Malaysia, totaling a capacity of 29.1 MW.
Map showing the projects’ main
locations
Currently, Sg Bengkoka Lower is completed and commissioned, but the project suffered damages due to flood and was unable to achieve its design capacity. SMEC will undertake a review and redesign in order to achieve Sg Bengkoka Lower’s installed capacity to allow for a faster modification and construction period enabling the hydropower plant to restart generation as soon as possible.
Transmission line pole and cable
affected by a landslide due to flooding
Construction of Sg Bengkoka Upper and Sg Togohu schemes, on the other hand, has partially commenced and SMEC will review and propose a revised design for the two hydropower plants in order to achieve their proposed installed capacities. For both projects, the turbine and generating units are on-site and the project components have to be optimised to suit their design parameters.
Sg Bengkoka Lower headworks (looking downstream)
The client, KPower Engineering Sdn Bhd (KPEng), together with Tellhow International Engineering & Contracting Co Ltd, had taken over from the previous contractor to complete the engineering, design, procurement, construction and commissioning works. ORP, a subsidiary of OHP Ventures Sdn Bhd, was established to undertake the development of the project.
“This is a very good opportunity for us to solve the issues the client is facing and reinforce the strong capability statement that SMEC is a leader in the hydropower sector, be it small or major hydropower,” said Rajan Doraisamy, Regional Manager SMEC Malaysia.
The project started in March 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in 12 months.
Upstream view of the Sg Togohu headworks