Pulau Burung landfill operator to build solar farm

NIBONG TEBAL: The sole solid waste landfill operator in Penang at Pulau Burung here plans to build a solar farm to generate electricity to increase revenue streams.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the concessionaire have to source for additional streams other than the RM20.20 per tonne tipping fee.
He said the 20 megawatt (MW) plant is to be located at phase three of the 425 acre landfill.
“The plant can supply electricity to the landfill and connect to the main power grid,” he said in a press conference after visiting the landfill today.
The landfill is managed by PLB Terang Sdn Bhd which has been awarded a 20-year concession by the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai Municipal Council in 2012 to manage the facility.
Elaborating later, general manager (operations) Nor Azman Othman said the concessionaire had applied to both Councils for permission to build the plant.
He said further applications will be made to the Department of Environment (DOE), Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and other relevant agencies once the Councils give their approval.
“The plant can provide power to 12,400 homes,” he added, and hoped the solar farm could be completed by 2018.
For the phase three development of the landfill, Azman said the cost was estimated to be more than RM20 million.
He said the project was to establish a level four standard landfill, the highest standard under environmental regulations.
He said this comprises having a material recovery facility (MRF) and a leachate treatment plant at the site.
“The MRF is expected to start operating in November next year while the treatment plant is pending DOE approval,” he said, adding the first of the cells (the place where waste is buried) in the phase three site is expected to be used starting in February.
During a media briefing earlier, Penang Fishermen Welfare Association chairman Ilias Shafie and Changkat Fishermen Association Hashim Shafie both expressed their concerns over the operations.
They complained of diminishing catch and that alleged leachate was leaking from the landfill and into the rivers and sea.
In responding to their concerns, Azman said a temporary leachate pond will be built at the phase three site pending the completion of the treatment plant and that the MRF will provide jobs for those staying nearby.