KUCHING: The Sarawak government will carry on its Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares) to ensure households in rural and regional areas are provided with 24-hour power supply.

Assistant Minister of Rural Electricity Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said Sares is meant for areas where villages and longhouse have no access to the main power grid.

Dr Abdul Rahman said the proposed Sares project for Sungai Mujok in Meluan will commence in 2020 and is expected to be completed in eight months.

He added that the estimated project cost was RM19 million and will benefit 312 households in the area once completed.

Responding to similar questions by Alexander Vincent (GPS-Ngemah), Dr Abdul Rahman said Ulu Ngemah is located within the vicinity of the grid line.

As such, he said the Sarawak government had planned to construct an extra high voltage (EHV) substation in Mukah to connect the rural area to the main power grid.

“The EHV substation in Mukah is scheduled for completion in 2020. This comes under the Rural Electrification Master Plan fully funded by the Sarawak government,” he added.