The Bakun hydroelectric plant (HEP), located on the Batang Balui – the upper course of the Rajang River in Sarawak’s Kapit Division – remains a cornerstone of Malaysia’s renewable energy infrastructure. With an installed capacity of 2,520 MW and featuring one of the world’s largest Concrete Face Rockfill Dams (CFRD), Bakun is the nation’s largest hydropower installation and operates the most voluminous reservoir in Malaysia.
Commissioned fully in 2014, Bakun hydroelectric plant plays a critical role in Sarawak’s Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) initiative, enabling energy-intensive industrial development while ensuring system reliability and energy security across the state. Alongside the Murum (944MW) and Batang Ai (94MW) hydropower plants, Bakun forms the core of Sarawak’s hydropower portfolio managed by Sarawak Energy Berhad.
Sustainability and operational standards
All Sarawak Energy hydropower assets adhere to the guidelines of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) and the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS). Bakun’s operations are supported by comprehensive internal and external monitoring systems, designed to maintain safety, environmental integrity, and long-term performance.
In 2025, Bakun achieved Silver Certification under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, following an independent assessment by the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance. The certification, announced during the Sustainability & Renewable Energy Forum (SAREF) 4.0 in Kuching, was witnessed by the Premier of Sarawak. The assessment highlighted Bakun’s strengths in climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, community engagement, and governance, reaffirming Sarawak Energy’s policy that only sustainable hydropower is acceptable.
Sarawak Energy has been a member of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) since 2010, aligning its development and operations with global sustainability benchmarks.
Global recognition
Bakun’s sustainability leadership was further recognised with the 2025 IHA Blue Planet Prize, presented in Paris during the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower. The award honours projects that demonstrate exemplary sustainability practices based on independent evaluation under the HSS. Recognition is granted only to facilities that provide verifiable evidence of good practice across policy, implementation, documentation, and stakeholder consultation.
The award reinforces Bakun’s position as a reference project for large-scale hydropower development supporting global energy transition objectives.
Community development and local partnerships
Sarawak Energy continues to integrate social sustainability into its operations through long-term engagement with communities in the Bakun Resettlement Scheme (BRS). The utility’s initiatives are structured around four key areas:
- Education and Young People
- Community Development and Entrepreneurship
- Environmental and Cultural Conservation
- Heritage Preservation
Under the Bakun Charitable Trust, annual revolving allocations of RM200,000 support educational funds for Kayan, Kenyah, Kajang, and Penan communities. Since 2019, 951 students from Belaga have benefited from financial assistance and improved educational facilities. Complementing this, the Sarawak Energy Bursary Programme provides approximately RM300,000 annually to support secondary students from SMK Belaga and SMK Bakun, while the Sarawak Energy Scholarship Programme – expanded to RM16 million annually in 2022 – reserves 30% of awards for students from host communities and low-income families.
The Longhouse Adoption Programme, launched in 2019, covers all 15 longhouses in the BRS, providing support for infrastructure upgrades, fire safety training (in collaboration with BOMBA Bintulu Zone), and small-scale entrepreneurship initiatives.
Sarawak Energy also supports efforts to preserve cultural identity through partnerships that have achieved recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records and Elite World Records, including Malaysia’s tallest Belawing Tower and the longest Rattan Teteng Wei.
Governance and stakeholder oversight
To coordinate development and ensure transparent governance, Sarawak Energy established the Bakun Community Management Steering Committee (BCMSC), chaired by the Belaga District Officer and co-chaired by the Bakun Station Manager. The committee facilitates collaboration among government agencies, community representatives, and civil society organisations. A formal grievance mechanism allows community members to raise concerns regarding livelihoods, environmental impacts, or cultural matters for timely resolution.
