Tawau is the only place in Malaysia with volcanic activities and this is evident from the hot spring pools near Tawau town and at the Tawau Hills National Park. Recently, a geothermal site was discovered about 40km from the town centre. It is located near the Gunung Andrassy area, close the protected area of Tawau Hills National Park.

Location of the Geothermal Site from Tawau Town

A study conducted by the Mineral and Geoscience Department so far had found that there was potential to generate up to 67MW of electricity a day to meet the energy needs of Tawau. This study may take a while and currently there is no time line of when the power generation facility can be setup and operational. So far RM1.5 million had been spent for the research on the site and it was hoped that drilling could start under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

This place is definitely unique to Sabah. One of discovertawau.com’s officers – Mr. Suwadey Basiran had the opportunity to visit this place recently. However, the site has been taken over by the government and is now off limits to the public. He mentioned the rocks shown in the photo are really too hot to be touched.

Unique rocks at the geothermal site (photo courtesy of Mr. Suwadey Basiran)

Scientists and engineers from the Mineral and Geoscience Department also found a reservoir about 2,000 to 3,000m below the earth’s surface with water at temperatures of 220 to 236 degrees Celsius which was more than enough heat to generate electricity.

If this can become a reality, Malaysia will be among the countries which generate electricity through geothermal sources aside from the United States, El Salvador, Kenya, the Philippines, Iceland and Costa Rica.

Power generation through geothermal means is regarded as not only cost-effective and reliable but also environment-friendly compared with generation from burning fuel. If this the case, why do we still need that coal powered power plant to be built in Lahad Datu?