Annual report on Sarawak.

Date:
[1950]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Sarawak. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    151/230 (page 95)
    CHAPTER 10. Public Utilities and Public Works. Electricity Supply. The Sarawak Electricity Supply Company Limited is responsible for the lighting and power services throughout the Colony. This Company was formed in 1932 to take over the Government supply stations at Kuching, Sibu and Mukah. Government holds the majority of shares, Messrs* United Engineers Limited of Singapore being the other shareholders and General Managers. Since taking over, the policy of the Company has been a progressive one of modernising the existing stations and installing generating plant in the smaller townships. At the time of the Japanese occupation in 1941 the Company was operating generating stations at Kuching, Sibu, Mukah, Sarikei Binatanig, Simanggang and Bintulu, all of which were powered by diesel plant and were supplying light¬ ing at a charge to the consumer of 20 cents per unit. In Kuching the Company also operated an; ice factory, the ice being retailed to the public at one cent per pound. When the country was re-occupied by the Allies it was found that two generating sets im Kuching had been removed, the Mukah and Bintulu Stations almost destroyed and the remaining plant was in a very bad condition due to nieglect and lack of maintenance. During 1945-46 the Company was busily engaged on the work of rehabilitating these stations and maintaining a gradually improving standard of supply to the public. Plans were made for extensions of service and orders were placed for plant and materials. Owing to increasing costs of fuel, wages and materials it was found necessary to increase the rates of current by means of a 50% surcharge on pre-war charges. The Company’s policy has been to reduce this surcharge as soon as conditions would permit, but it was not possible to do this until January 1st, 1948, when surcharge was discontinued and a revised rate of 27-J cents per unit for lighting came into effect.