By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: The Babagon Dam, which supplies almost half of the electricity for the greater Kota Kinabalu population, is in good condition.
Jetama Energy Sdn Bhd general manager Junidi Doronsoi said the mega-structure in Penampang, completed in 1997, remains structurally sound and safe following regular inspections and post-earthquake assessments.
He told the media at the launching of Jetama's two solar power plants at Babagon Dam that the structure undergoes independent audits every five years and annual inspections to ensure continued safety.
Jetama Energy, a subsidiary of a government-linked company, is the operator and caretaker of the Babagon Dam.
In 2023, a dam safety flying squad, during inspections from 2021 to 2022, found that eight dams, including Babagon Dam, had sustained damages and, in the event of failure, could pose a threat to residents and properties.
Junidi said Jetama appointed a consortium that included a company involved in the dam's original construction in Australia between 1993 and 1995.
"The audit report gave a clean bill of health, and it is kept by Jetama for reference. Routine maintenance is carried out by our own team," he added.
He also addressed public concerns following past seismic activity in Sabah, noting that a special assessment was conducted after the 5 June 2015 earthquake, which measured 6.0 on the Richter scale.
"After the earthquake, we carried out a major surveillance report by the same consortium that worked on this dam. The results showed it was safe," he said.
Present were Sabah deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, Sabah Energy Commission (ECoS) chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid, and Jetama chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Naim Uddang.
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