Page 15 - AsiaElec Week 35

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

time to stave off power shortages, Wood
Mackenzie’s Asia LNG Research Analyst
Otavio Veras said.
Specifically, Veras noted Hai Linh
Company’s terminal in Vung Tau, Vietnam,
and a small-scale terminal in Thanlyin,
Myanmar, which received its first cargo from
Malaysia’s Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas)
this year.

CRYPTO CURRENCY
Malaysian authorities

arrest crypto miners for

$600K power theft

Officials in the Malaysian state of Johor shut
down two crypto operations which had stolen
more than $600,000 worth of electricity over
three years.
Malaysia’s Energy Commission, power
utility firm Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB),
and local officials arrested individuals
responsible for the theft of more than
$600,000 in electricity used for crypto mining.
The authorities raided two mining operations
in the city of Iskandar Puteri. 33 operations that had stolen $760,000 worth 1997.
Nazlin Alim Sadikhi, a regional director of electricity. SIEMENS GAMESA
with the country’s Energy Commission,
said one of the crypto mining operations
with 100 rigs had been operating nonstop SOL AR
for three years. The other setup with 48 rigs WIND
chugged along mining crypto for two years. Sonnedix buys 2.3-MW
The owners only paid $7-14 monthly for Siemens Gamesa secures
electricity, but together with the rig operators solar park in Japan
siphoned almost $20,000 worth of power order for Japan’s 51.6MW
monthly. Independent power producer (IPP) Sonnedix
“We found that illegal wiring was installed Kamiyuchi onshore wind Power Holdings Ltd on Monday said that its
so that electricity was supplied directly and Japanese unit has finalised the acquisition of a
not through the TNB meter,” Sadikhi said. farm 2.3-MW photovoltaic (PV) park located in the
Bitcoin (BTC) mining operations illegally Mie prefecture.
obtaining power are an ongoing problem in Siemens Gamesa has secured an order The facility has been in operation since
Malaysia, though crypto mining and trading to supply 12 turbines for the 51.6MW July 2016. It has a power purchase agreement
are allowed in the country. Kamiyuchi project in Hokkaido, Japan. (PPA) in place with Chubu Electric Power
Under Section 37 of Malaysia’s Electricity The German-Spanish company said the Co Inc (TYO:9502) under the feed-in-tariff
Supply Act, those who steal electricity in some direct drive onshore unit will work well with scheme, Sonnedix said.
place other than a “domestic installation” the high winds at the project. Following the latest acquisition, Sonnedix
for more than one offence face a maximum The deal brings Siemens Gamesa to Japan KK has 135.4 MW of operational
penalty of $1.2mn or ten years’ imprisonment. 145MW of orders in the country for the first capacity under management and over 380
However, The Star reported the individuals eight months of the year. MW of project currently in construction and
responsible for the recent theft may face ten “With a track record of success for more development stages in the country.
years in jail or a maximum fine of $240,000 if than 20 years in Japan, Siemens Gamesa Sonnedix CEO Axel Thiemann said the
found guilty. is committed to supporting customers company will continue to seek opportunities
TNB engineer Mohd Satari Mohamad and partners to develop the Japanese wind to expand its global footprint.
said authorities had raided 90 similar industry as the country drives forward power
installations in 2020, totaling 288 since 2018. market reform,” added the company.
Cointelegraph reported last year that TNB had The current 51.6MW is the largest wind
lost more than $25mn in electrical costs as of farm being developed by Cosmo Eco Power,
June 2019, with one August raid taking down a Japanese pioneer of renewable energy since

Week 35 02•September•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P15