Kota 2 Hydropower Project – Owner's Engineer

Location: Lawas, Sarawak, Malaysia
Date: 2016 – 2020

Providing Owner's Engineer services to support a hydropower development in northern Sarawak

Background

Lawas is a rural district in northern Sarawak with a population of approximately 46,200. At the time of the project, the area operated as an isolated power system that relied on diesel-based generation.

As Sarawak continued to advance renewable energy development to support economic growth and improve quality of life, Entura was engaged to assess the feasibility of a 10.5 MW run-of-river hydropower plant on the Kota River in Lawas. Following the feasibility study, Entura was appointed as Owner's Engineer for the delivery of the Kota 2 Mini Hydroelectric Plant Project.

Solution

As Owner's Engineer, Entura supported the delivery of the Kota 2 Mini Hydroelectric Plant Project, helping to ensure quality outcomes throughout construction and commissioning.

Our scope included reviewing detailed designs, undertaking engineering verification, assessing EPC contractor plans, providing technical and project management advice, and supporting construction and commissioning activities. Entura also participated in factory acceptance testing and oversaw the installation of key equipment, including turbines, generators and control systems.

During commissioning, Entura supervised critical testing activities, including control and protection system testing and generator on-load testing.

Given the project's remote location, Entura maintained a targeted site presence during key milestones while conducting regular design reviews and coordination meetings in Kuching.

Access to the site presented logistical challenges, including travel via a 15 km dirt road, with conditions affected by terrain and weather. During the rainy season, flooding and landslides occasionally disrupted access, impacting the movement of personnel and equipment. Bridge capacity assessments were also required to ensure the safe transport of heavy components.

Despite these challenges, Entura worked closely with contractors and project stakeholders to manage site constraints, minimise delays and maintain project progress.

Services provided:

• Review of detailed design
• Technical advisory services
• Supervision of installation works
• Supervision of commissioning and performance testing
• Participation in factory acceptance testing

Outcome

The Kota 2 Mini Hydroelectric Plant was successfully commissioned in 2020, providing 10.5 MW of renewable energy to the previously isolated Lawas network.

In 2025, Lawas was connected to the wider Sarawak grid, integrating the region into a larger renewable energy network. While major upstream hydropower developments now supply most of the area's electricity, Kota 2 continues to contribute renewable energy to the grid.

Entura is proud to have contributed to the successful delivery of this important project, helping to enhance the reliability, sustainability and resilience of energy supply in the region.