The government is in the early stages of amending the Electricity Supply Act 1990 to include the current regulatory landscape of the Malaysian energy sector and in line with the electricity market reforms.
Act 447 is to provide for the regulation of the electricity supply industry, the supply of electricity at reasonable prices, the licensing of any electrical installation, the control of any electrical installation, plant and equipment with respect to matters relating to the safety of persons and the efficient use of electricity.
Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry senior undersecretary of electricity supply division Mareena Mahpudz said the ministry was currently engaging with regulators such as the Attorney General’s Chamber and was expected to resolve the issues arising from the discussion soon.
“Most of the issues raised (in the report released today) have not been addressed by the law as the Act was formulated many years ago. The biggest task given to the ministry actually is to amend the law and it is not easy,” she told a forum today.
Mareena was one of the panellists discussing the report titled “Competitive Neutrality in the Malaysian Power Sector: Removing Barriers for a Greener and More Inmovative Energy Industry” released by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) today.
In the report, Ideas outlined two recommendations for Malaysia’s power sector.Two recommendations are put forth in the paper. Firstly, it proposes a comprehensive reform of the electricity supply industry to increase the share of renewable energy, fostering a more competitive market in line with the fundamental principles of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
Secondly, the report underscores the significance of enhancing competitive neutrality, both broadly across government-linked companies (GLCs) and specifically within the electricity supply industry. This, it argues, will unlock new investment opportunities and propel the growth of sustainable, green practices.
The report was authored by Dr Renato Lima de Oliveira who delves into crucial aspects of Malaysia’s power industry, addressing obstacles and proposing pathways for a more level-playing field among industry players to enable an efficient transition toward renewable energy use in Malaysia.
