IEEE Curtin Malaysia Student Branch organises study visits to Mukah and Bintulu industrial plants

Miri – 13 May 2019 – The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Branch of Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently organised study visits for 33 of its members to the Mukah Coal-fired Power Plant, and the Bintulu Integrated Facility, where the Malaysia LNG (MLNG) plant is located at Tanjung Kidurong.

They were accompanied by senior lecturers Dr. Garenth Lim King Hann and Dr. Law Kah Haw.

The visits gave the students the opportunity to gain insights into industrial operations and relate them to concepts and theories learned in the classroom.

During the visit to the Mukah Coal-fired Power Plant located along the Mukah-Balingian Coastal Road about 30 kilometres from Mukah, they toured the plant facilities and observed its operations. They learned that the plant situated on an 865-acre site has two 135 MW boiler-turbine generator units fuelled by local coal with distillate fuel oil as its standby energy source. The plant is operated by Mukah Power Generation Sdn. Bhd.

Also while in Mukah, the students visited the Lamin Dana Cultural Lodge and Sapan Puloh Melanau Museum to learn more about the local history and culture.

Meanwhile, at the Bintulu Integrated Facility, the students were briefed by Petronas LNG engineers on the plant’s production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and plant infrastructure that includes nine LNG trains. Incorporated in 1978, it was Malaysia’s first LNG plant.

The students and lecturers were also given the opportunity to visit the facility’s Bintulu Operation Coordination Centre (BOCC), its remote monitoring centre and the only one of its kind in Sarawak.

Third-year electrical power engineering student and a vice-president of the IEEE Student Branch Alvin Lau Siew Nam said that the study visits were fruitful and full of insight.

“I was able to understand a lot more about the role of engineer role in the two organisations,” he said.

Lau described the visit to the Mukah Coal-fired Power Plant as a ‘phenomenal experience’ and the most entertaining study visit he has been on throughout his years at Curtin Malaysia. He commended the IEEE Student Branch of Curtin Malaysia for its efforts in organising such visits for its members and looks forward to joining more study visits in the future.

Meanwhile, fellow electrical power engineering student and IEEE Curtin Malaysia Student Branch technical head Howard Hu Ho Yee commented that study visits to such industries are important for engineering students as they provide valuable insights into industrial operations and the four fundamental processes of engineering: planning, designing, establishing, and maintaining and monitoring.

He said the visit to the Mukah Coal-fired Power Plant allowed the students to learn how power is generated from coal and transmitted to its customers. They also learned about the importance of minimising the environmental impact of power generation and how the plant mitigates this.

According to Dr. Lim, who is advisor to the IEEE Student Branch, such visits to industry are a key component of the curriculum of all Curtin engineering courses, enriching the student experience and ensuring students get the practical knowledge and experience they need for a better understanding of their course subjects, industry practices and challenges, as well as career prospects in the industries.

The students and lecturers at Mukah Coal-fired Power Plant.

Their visit to Mukah included a stop at the Lamin Dana Cultural Lodge to learn more about the local culture.

Students experiencing ‘Alu-alu’, a Melanau traditional bamboo dance, at Lamin Dana.

Posing for group photo with Petronas LNG staff at Bintulu Integrated Facility.