Kota Kinabalu: An emergency shutdown at a Petronas-owned gas terminal on Wednesday disrupted gas supply to several power stations, prompting Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SE) to implement rolling blackouts across parts of the State.
According to SE Chief Operating Officer Ir. Ts. Mohd Yusmanizam Mohd Yusof, the shutdown occurred at 2.11pm, affecting gas delivery to power plants in the Kota Kinabalu area.
The affected stations were forced to switch from gas to diesel fuel, resulting in a 60-megawatt drop in generation capacity for the Sabah and Labuan electricity grid.
The first round of load shedding, from 2.38pm to 4.53pm, affected users in Pitas, Papar, Keningau, Kunak, Balung and Tawau.
A second blackout followed at 6.38pm, impacting Kudat, Kota Marudu, Tuaran, Lok Kawi, Kimanis, Beaufort, Tenom, Nabawan, Beluran, Sandakan, Semporna, Sebatik and parts of Pitas and Tawau.
Full power supply was restored by 9.36pm.
SESB extended its apologies to consumers for the inconvenience and for delays in communication regarding the outages.
The utility also appealed for public understanding, citing ongoing operational challenges in maintaining a stable power supply.
Consumers in need of assistance or updates are advised to contact SESB via the Sabah Electricity Careline at 15444 or 088-515000, WhatsApp at 019-852 5427, or through the Sabah Electricity mobile application.
