Bakun Hydroelectric Plant awarded Silver HSS certification after closing sustainability gaps
The Bakun Hydroelectric Project in Sarawak, Malaysia, has been awarded Silver certification under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS), recognising the project’s progress in embedding sustainability practices and raising performance across environmental, social and governance (ESG) areas.
The certification was formally presented to Sarawak Energy on stage at the SAREF 4.0 Sustainability & Renewable Energy Forum on Wednesday 3 September, by James Dalton, Director of the Global Water Programme, International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN).
The 2,520 MW Bakun project – Southeast Asia’s largest hydropower plant – began operations in 2011, and was fully commissioned in 2014. Since acquiring the project in 2017, Sarawak Energy (SEB) has strengthened environmental management, stakeholder engagement, and biodiversity initiatives.
SEB has taken significant measures to raise sustainability capacity internally, with more than 100 staff trained as Certified Users of the HSS.
Internal assessors carried out a baseline assessment of Bakun in 2020, later followed by an official HSS assessment in 2024, both of which identified areas for improvement. SEB responded with targeted action plans, enhancing community engagement, strengthening water quality and dam safety measures, and expanding ESG reporting. These efforts enabled Bakun to meet the requirements for Silver certification.
“Getting a hydropower project certified in Borneo, with its rich cultural and biological diversity, is no easy feat,” said Alain Kilajian, Deputy Executive Director of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance. “Meeting the Hydropower Sustainability Standard here requires strong environmental mitigations and meaningful consultation with Indigenous Peoples – and Bakun has done exactly that.
“Sarawak Energy has used the HSS to identify gaps, apply targeted action plans and embed best practices across its operations. Bakun’s certification shows how the HSS can be applied to raise project performance and build confidence that hydropower can be done right.”
“An important milestone for Sarawak Energy”
HSS assessments involve a rigorous independent evaluation, including document reviews, interviews and on-site verification by accredited assessors. At Bakun this included evidence-based data triangulation and direct engagement with all key stakeholders, including affected upstream, downstream and resettled communities.
“The Bakun HSS certification is an important milestone for Sarawak Energy in ensuring that its operations continue to bring positive impact to stakeholders, particularly local communities, regulatory bodies and employees,” said Datuk Haji Sharbini Suhaili, Sarawak Energy’s Group Chief Executive Officer.
Efforts are ongoing at Bakun to address some remaining challenges, particularly related to social impacts.
SEB’s work at the project is evidence of how sustainability practices at operational hydropower plants can be systematically strengthened. The Silver certification is not the end of the journey, but a milestone demonstrating how large-scale hydropower projects can continually improve sustainability performance.
You can find out more on the Bakun Hydroelectric Plant assessment profile.
