“Misrepresenting The Facts”? – We Publish More Documents! |
- “Misrepresenting The Facts”? – We Publish More Documents!
- Murum Turbines “Not Suitable For Installation & Operation” – SEB’s Cover Up Over Danger Of “Catastrophic Breakdowns” EXCLUSIVE EXPOSE!
- Satem Against the People – New CM Backs Taib’s Dam Projects
| “Misrepresenting The Facts”? – We Publish More Documents! Posted: 06 Jul 2014 02:42 PM PDT   Torstein cosies up to the press again on Friday SEB boss Torstein Sjotveit has been forced to admit that the turbines installed in the Murum Dam hydro-electric plant are currently "not suitable for installation and operation", even though they have already been installed. He acknowledged this to be "fact" after Sarawak Report published a till now secret report into the condition of the Chinese manufactured turbines, commissioned by SEB from the Norwegian company Norconsult. The discovery was made after inspection tests, conducted last year, and SEB received the formal report in March. Yet, the situation was kept confidential until Sarawak Report leaked the information on Friday. But, Sjotveit is claiming that Sarawak Report "misrepresented the facts" and is stating that the findings are "routine". He also claims that the major operation to repair and re-weld the turbines on site provide no cause for concern about extra costs or delays. Above all he claims the Murum plant is "completely safe"!
Early stage?  Worn and uneven – the blades which should all have been smooth and perfectly calibrated. If Mr Sjotveit was back in Norway he would now be facing some probing questions and major media scrutiny, as he well knows. One key question would be on what criteria could this inspection be described as having taken place at an "early stage"? After all, the turbines have been found "not suitable to be installed" and yet they already are installed. Experts have confirmed the obvious to Sarawak Report, which is that the best place to rectify defects, described as being so serious that they threaten "catastrophic breakdowns", is back in the machine shop. Experts have also confirmed to Sarawak Report that to attempt to repair the blades in situe at the dam site, is not only difficult and dangerous, but is highly likely to be unsuccessful, especially in the medium to longer term.  Such serious erosion is hard to fix perfectly so every blade is exactly the same weight and balanced. Such on site repairs are certainly "unusual", according to the dam engineering expert Professor Daniel Kammen from California's Berkeley University, who was consulted by Sarawak Report last week. He said that while such practices may have occurred, he had not heard of them himself and in his opinion such a form of repair did "not bode well" for the efficiency of the hydropower station. This is because the turbines need to be perfectly calibrated to "spin true", he explained, and doing that on site is a "lot more painful than in the machine shop". Faulty turbines, like those at Murum, will grind down their bearings and soon enough break. The costs of such a breakdown in terms of production of electricity and the productivity of the dam are exponential. And the only point of this damaging and controversial dam at Murum was supposedly to produce electricity! So, why didn't Torstein get his turbines checked when they first pitched up in Sarawak? Better still, why not back at the factory, where they could be easily fixed? At the very least, why not up at Murum, before they were expensively embedded in thousands of tons of solid concrete? These key questions were not addressed in the SEB CEO's statement. Why not? "Easily rectified?"  Not so simple as Sjotveit makes out! – SEB's letter to Three Gorges Dam Company Neither does Sjotveit's airy dismissal of the problems as being "rectifiable" match up with the terse and angry document produced by his underlings at SEB, who in March demanded a number of answers from the manufacturers (Harbin) and the constructors Three Gorges Dam Company. We now release our leaked copy of that document and the accompanying letter (see also bottom of page). They show that the SEB Technical Manager, Frankie Chin, was most anxious and concerned that a number of important issues needed to be evaluated and addressed with respect to the unusual decision to attempt to fix the unsuitable turbines, which were already in situ. Top of the list was worker safety for Mr Chin. The documents shows that he wants assurances from Three Gorges that the potentially dangerous conditions for welders working at great heights in the turbine areas could be made safe. He refers to ventilation and gases and the potential for poisoning and fire. He also makes plain the welders will be having to try to make intensely sophisticated repairs upside down and from all angles:  Mr Chin's "safety list" There is not only the matter of safety, there is the one of cost. Mr Chin makes clear that a great deal of new equipment is going to be needed along with new personnel. So, why has Torstein Sjotveit argued that there are no cost implications or indeed problems of delay?  All for no extra cost and at no extra time? It is, of course, entirely possible that a furious SEB, who have taken delivery of such a defective and expensive product from the Chinese contractors (without realising or checking) are demanding that all the extra costs should carried by the manufacturers and Three Gorges Dam Company. If so, Mr Sjotveit ought to spell out what has been agreed with the contractor and manufacturer on this matter to the public, who have been forced to finance this controversial dam. Because the bluster about "no extra costs" and "no delays" is clearly untrue. More prizes for journalists However, instead of tackling such questions, Torstein Sjotveit has concentrated his efforts on his on-going charm offensive against the local journalists covering SCORE. This effort has mainly consisted of throwing money at press entertainment and media prizes (all paid for by the public, of course). At yet another nice dinner for the Kuching press corps just last Friday night he said he was delighted to "agree to some suggestions" by the local press on the subject of more "training" and trips funded by SEB.
Such largesse is, of course, peanuts compared to the huge sums being spent on Murum and the SEB CEO must be congratulating himself that a compliant media has come so cheaply. Good for how long?  Weak spots and cracks identified, which threaten metal fatigue The 'repairs' at Murum shows all the signs of a quick fix. After all, having once said he was going to 'develop' Sarawak for the native people, SEB's Norwegian boss has now decided to in fact quit in October. He, the Chinese contractors and the manufacturers all therefore need to achieve just one thing, which is to provide the appearance of a working dam that will last for a year or so, until they are well back in their home countries, clutching their share of Sarawak's borrowed money on the project. Most of the rest of the profit has gone to companies owned largely by the family of the former Chief Minister, who commissioned the project. So, If instead of lasting decades, the Murum turbines break down in a short time after a half-baked repair, will any of these people who have profited from it care? It is the people of Sarawak, who will be left to either pay for new turbines or suffer a massive 'white elephant' dam that doesn't work! Guaranteed "completely safe"?  It just takes a weak spot to become a fracture and for the blade to sheer off…. Last, but certainly not least in our list of questions, is how does Torstein Sjotveit intend to substantiate his headline claim that the Murum power plant is "completely safe", despite admitting to the problems outlined in the report? After all, he has botched the job so far. Worse, his chosen method for dealing with the embarrassing problems which have arisen (ie mending the turbines in situ) is certainly not the one most recommended for ensuring the best outcome. SEB's repair plan is at best experimental and uncertain, whereas experts have made clear that, to be sure of a proper job, these turbines should go back to the factory or be replaced altogether. The report by Norconsult spells out clearly the best and worst case scenarios for such turbine failures. At worst, it states, there could be catastrophic breakdowns causing flooding and fires in the pump house.  What happened at the world's 6th largest hydro-power plant in Russia in 2009 – 75 workers died It has been pointed out already in the Malaysian media that as recently as 2009 a strikingly similar turbine problem caused a shocking accident at the Sayano–Shushenskaya hydroelectric dam in Russia. Here 75 dam workers were left dead, after a badly calibrated turbine sheered through its moorings and shot into the pump house, causing flooding and destruction. So, what exactly did Torstein Sjotveit mean when he said that, despite these same problems being identified at Murum, the dam is "completely safe"? !["Completely safe"? - flooding from an identical situation caused 75 deaths in Russia in 2009 [Murum Turbine Report]](http://www.sarawakreport.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Screen-Shot-2014-07-06-at-21.18.341-650x238.png) "Completely safe"? – flooding from an identical situation caused 75 deaths in Russia in 2009 [Murum Turbine Report] See Sarawak Energy (SEB)'s letter and Action Points documents below:
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| Posted: 03 Jul 2014 11:10 AM PDT   Bubbles and pits in the metal blades of the turbines make them "not suitable" and signal "catastrophic failure" An extraordinary and potentially dangerous operation has been underway at the dam face of the Murum hydro-electric plant, according to secret documents obtained by Sarawak Report, in an attempt to repair sub-standard blades on the turbines, which have already been installed. Leaked schedules show plans to assign construction engineers to work at great heights and in danger of gas leaks and explosions in confined spaces, as they try to covertly restore turbine blades, which have been "poorly welded" with "no grinding" carried out. Consideration is even being given to the prospect of digging out the 4 massive hydro-electric turbines, which have already been installed in the walls of the newly-built dam – a move that would involve major demolition and the removal of huge amounts of the concrete into which the turbines have been embedded.  High tech repairs to be carried out to the turbine machines on site! The reason is that the brand new turbines have been judged by a devastating inspection report as "not suitable for installation and operation" and "need to be checked thoroughly and repaired"  Pitted metal – erosion will soon make these surfaces worse The implications in terms of costs and delays are shocking. However, so far there has been no mention by Sarawak Energy or the Sarawak State Government of any problems associated with the project. To the contrary reports provided by SEB have led people to believe that progress on the dam is going well and on schedule, with electricity production to be expected as early as September. And this week the state's new chief minister, Adenan Satem confirmed his state government will continue to push Taib Mahmud's policy of building more highly expensive mega-dams across Sarawak's rivers Turbine blades "do not meet the contract specifications"  Poor welding and no grinding carried out. Metal blades are bubbly and pitted – Norconsult report March 2014 Among the documents in our possession is a full report, which reveals that the turbines supplied by the dam's Chinese construction company, Three Gorges Development (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the company which build China's Three Gorges Dam, have been found to be "not suitable" and "do not meet the contract specifications". The report, was provided by the Norwegian company Norconsult, which carried out inspections towards the end of last year, and it was presented to Sarawak Energy (SEB) in March of this year, together with a proposed schedule for trying to bring the turbines up to standard, even though they are now already installed. The key problem lies in the quality of the metalwork in the core of the turbines, according to a mass of detail and photographs made available to Sarawak Report.  Enormous turbines need to be finely calibrated So-called 'runners' turn the turbines as their blades are pushed by the flowing water. These blades need to be extremely robust and evenly calibrated, in order to last decades of heavy wear and tear without deteriorating, say experts – if the plant is to meet expected power outputs. However, tests and inspections by Norconsult showed an substandard quality across all the runners. Time and again the report refers to "poor welding" and "no grinding" on the blades. It also refers to "cracks" and "pits", which could soon become the focus of "metal fatigue". Numerous photographs using red dye have been supplied, which show the problems clearly, with flaws discovered in all the blades inspected in the 3 out of 4 Murum runners examined by Norconsult. The blade surfaces are also described as rough instead of smooth, giving further rise to a danger of cracks and breakages. The report explains:
One highly senior California based hydro-electric engineer, who is familiar with conditions in Sarawak, Professor Daniel Kammen from Berkley University, examined the evidence and told Sarawak Report that the pictures provided show that the quality of the blades was extremely poor:
 Runners 1,2 & 3 showed similar flaws and cracks. Professor Kammen's analysis of the evidence is confirmed by comments made by Norconsult throughout the inspection document dated 20th March, which further refers to the rough surface of the blades and to cracks, which could cause lumps of metal to eventually sheer off. Such lumps of metal can cause further damage to the machinery and the loss of bits from the blades will also impact further on the balance of the turbines. In a devastating conclusion the official report summarises a situation where such metal fatigue could cause "catastrophic break downs" of the turbines:
Norconsult provided a list of the possible consequences of these defects, which must have struck horror into the top management of SEB and the leaders of the Sarawak State Government when it hit their desks last March. Outcomes could range from small to total breakdowns of the machinery and flooding and fires in the power house. Yet none of this, known officially since March, has yet been made public:  Simply not suitable, given the catastrophic defects SEB and the State Government started this project in secrecy, poured in billions of ringgit in the face of loud opposition and what they are now keeping secret is that the turbines they have commissioned are not fit for the job of producing their much trumpeted hydro-electricity! Damage control and cover up? Far from admitting the problem, evidence made available to Sarawak Report indicates that SEB and their contractors in the Three Gorges Dam company (TGDCM) have opted for a highly risky and unusual attempt to secretly repair the turbines in situe at the dam site. Sarawak Report has obtained letters and documents showing that a meeting between SEB, TGDCM and Harbin, the Chinese state-backed turbine manufacturer in March decided upon an attempt to repair the poorly constructed blades on site, while not discounting the possible need to remove some of the installed turbines.  The manufacturers behind the Murum turbine failures? A list of action points was drawn up which envisaged a controversial schedule involving doing the necessary welding and grinding on site. Key safety issues included providing "approved scaffolding for working at height"; "Preparedness in the event of accidents, fire, gas leakage, fumes etc"; "Approved welding procedures and repair procedures for horizontal, vertical and "upside-down/hidden" welds" and adequate equipment and staff and supervisors to under-take the massive welding task in such difficult conditions.  Desperate measures? Angry SEB demands on-site repairs from Three Gorges Dam Company, complete with safety measures in recognition of the dangerous work proposed Sarawak Report has yet to obtain ground reports on whether this operation has yet been carried out or how successfully. However experts warn that SEB and their partners are undertaking a highly unusual if not unheard of path with this high-risk, on site approach to such extensive repair work. Professor Kammen explains the risks of repairing on site are daunting:
By far the safer and more reliable route would be to remove the defective turbines and replace them with properly calibrated machines, says Kammen, because at least these will able to reliably produce the required hydro-power.  Poor quality from China? Harbin also need to provide public explanations. However, such a route would involve admitting what has happened to the people of Sarawak – a situation that can only be put down to incompetence in high places. Now that the cat is out of the bag, SEB stand warned by experts that a bad situation could be made worse by the cack-handed repair job being proposed in situ. It means poorly spinning turbines could soon grind to a total halt, leaving the controversial and destructive Murum Dam with no hydro-power capacity at all in very little time. If the main point of building Murum was not to produce electricity but to raise billions of ringgit that have ended up in politicians' families' pockets, maybe the powers that be in Sarawak and SEB don't care. But, the people of Sarawak do care and SEB's Torstein Dale Sjotveit owes Sarawakians an explanation as to how exactly, with all his expertise, he managed to commission faulty turbines costing hundreds of millions of ringgit without checking them properly before installing them? FOR THE FULL REPORT ON MURUM'S TURBINES CLICK HERE
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| Satem Against the People – New CM Backs Taib’s Dam Projects Posted: 02 Jul 2014 10:38 AM PDT  This post is also available in: Iban, Malay  More dams for the benefit of BN cronies. Chief Minister Adenan Satem has predictably taken on the role of Governor Taib Mahmud's chief business manager. He today stated that the state government will "have to" build more dams to meet the power demand for its industrial development and for "the people". He thundered that he did not care about the growing international criticism:
Satem is right to say NGOs don't own the rivers, but neither does he. The people of Sarawak do and one thing this new chief minister notably avoided mentioning in his speech was the angry opposition of Sarawak's people to BN's selfish plans. Because, the people most eager to build these dams are none other than the Taib family who are making billions out of all the contracts. Whereas the actual people, the people of Sarawak and those communities whose homes and lands will be washed away by these projects, have been making clear all through the Gawai period that they are united against the whole idea. The people know who stands to benefit from this 'development' – this government's record goes before it of poor treatment of affected communities; negligible compensation and of course zero development in the rural areas.  Human Rights commissioner James Nayagam listens to the plight of the Penan in Murum. Last week, Malaysia's own human rights commission (SUHAKAM) reported that indigenous Penan people are facing "a myriad of issues" and living in unacceptable conditions in the Murum Dam resettlement sites. Internationally, the UK's The Ecologist highlighted how mega-dams in Sarawak are threatening indigenous ethnocide. The communities of Bakun, Batang Ai, Bengoh, as well as Murum have all seen their lives made miserable by dam developments and those of Baram and elsewhere do not want to follow their fate. They would prefer smaller projects and mini-hydro plants that benefit them, not foreign/Taib-owned polluting smelting plants miles away. The local anti-dam group Save Rivers issued the following statement about the protests that took place at Gawai – protests that united the many local communities of Sarawak. Adenan Satem's job is to represent their interests and not destroy their lives. Save Rivers Statement  No opposition to the Baram dam? 500 natives show their objection to the government. Baram Communities in solidarity with Anti Dam Blockade
Long Lama Baram: On the last weekend of June 2014, the Anti-dam blockade in Long Lama was buzzing with activities. Folks from near and far in the Baram district were gathered there to celebrate what the Iban called, Ngiling Tekai.  Hundreds of indigenous people are standing strong to save their livelihoods. It is a traditional celebration to mark the end of the Gawai Dayak (the traditional harvest festivity) which begins on the 1st of June each year until the last day of the month. At the blockade that weekend, it was also a celebration signifying solidarity with the blockaders in resisting the proposed Baram dam. Also present were villagers from other blockades in the district which are against illegal logging and exploitation of Native Customary Right (NCR) lands.
The celebration was well received and attended by all. Cooperation among the people was obvious. In the blockade building, starting from the morning of that day, the people were seen cooking, or rehearsing songs and dances while some were putting the final touch for the decorations.  "Our forefathers fought + died for this land. Baram is ours forever" – Message at the blockade site. The communities who were there on that day reflected the multi ethnicity of the Baram people and they all mixed freely with each other working and enjoying themselves. At the blockade on that day were Ibans from Baram and Tinjar area, Kenyah, Kayan, Berawan, Tering, Malay, Penan and Chinese from Baram, Tinjar, Tutoh and Apoh area. The attendance register showed more than five hundred people.
The climax of the event was dancing around the "renyai" which is a traditional Iban ritual where dancers would take turn to do the "ngajat" dance around a tree decorated with foods and drinks. At the end of a turn, the dancer would place some donations at the foot of the tree in favour of the host, in this case, the Baram Protection Action Committee (BPAC) who manages the blockade in Long Lama. Following the "renyai" there were more dances, singing and merry making, until dawn the next day.
 Indigenous communities from across Sarawak turned up to show support. Some facing their own NCR protests. In welcoming the supporters to the event, Mr. Philip Jau, the Chairman of BPAC said that he was encouraged by the continuous support given by various people since the blockade was set on the 23rd of October 2013.
The banner signature campaign started by the youth in SAVE Rivers was also well received; it is to prove the inaccuracy of the statement saying that only three persons are against the proposed Baram dam, mentioned by the Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Jabu anak Numpang in Long Silat recently. There are now about one thousand signatures on the banner and still counting. Keeping informed For more information on the Baram dam blockade please refer to our Baram Dam Support Site. Iban speakers can also tune into today's episode of Radio Free Sarawak where the team interview Borneo Resources Institute (BRIMAS) Director Mark Bujang on Adenan Satem's statement. Sign up to receive regular updates from Sarawak Report |
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