'No reprieve'

PETALING JAYA: About four million consumers in the Klang Valley are expected to face a week-long disruption in water supply as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is standing firm with its decision to start maintenance works tomorrow.
The maintenance works at a TNB facility in Bukit Badong, Hulu Selangor, will affect water supply because it provides power to three main water treatment plants in Selangor and the Federal Territory.
TNB chief corporate officer Datuk Roslan Ab Rahman said the works cannot be postponed because further delay could lead to longer power outages in future.
"Physical inspections, including thermal scanning carried out on Dec 15 detected two hot spots that require immediate action to prevent any major damage to the equipment at the main intake substation," Roslan told a press conference today.
"If the works are delayed again, there's a possibility that a breakdown can occur and repairs would then take as long as three weeks," he said.
The press conference was called by TNB to address an outcry by angry consumers who vented their displeasure on social media platforms about the disruption so close to Christmas.
Roslan acknowledged the concerns raised by the public and those in the service industry about the water supply disruption taking place during the festive period, but stressed that the substation needs immediate remedial works.
He said the repairs were initially scheduled for Sept 27, 2016, but was postponed several times following requests by Selangor water authorities due to "specific reasons", but declined to elaborate.
"It has been planned for earlier but was postponed. If we continue postponing, there will be a risk of failure. The decision to postpone was not ours, but that of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN)," he said.
Roslan added that the remedial works by TNB would only take about 16 hours beginning 8am on Dec 19, so the authorities should explain why water supply would be disrupted until Christmas eve.
The maintenance works at Bukit Badong main intake substation is expected to cause water disruption to 814 areas in Selangor and the federal capital.
SPAN, had on Dec 15, said the 16-hour maintenance works would affect the operations of Sungai Selangor three main water treatment plants, which supplies to 60% of consumers in the Klang Valley.
The areas that will be affected are Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Langat, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
The maintenance works are carried out once every three years to prevent any power supply disruption at these water treatment plants.
Meanwhile, Roslan urged water authorities to upgrade their backup power generators at all the water treatment plants to avoid water disruptions during TNB's maintenance works in the future.
He said currently, the generators do not have the capacity to provide electricity to the water plants, leading to the water disruption this week.