GEORGE TOWN, April 26 – Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft may carry out cloud-seeding operations over the water catchments areas on Penang Island from the end of this month. The Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) has recommended the timeframe from 29.4.2023 to 7.5.2023 for the first wave of operations to be carried out over Penang in 2023.
The weather conditions should be ideal to maximise the impact of the cloud seeding operations. The primary objective is to induce heavy rainfall over the water catchment areas of the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam. Heavy rainfall is required to refill these dams with as much raw water as possible. The following chart shows the status of the dams’ effective capacities:
| DAM EFFECTIVE CAPACITIES | ||
| 1.1.2023 | 24.4.2023 | |
| AIR ITAM DAM | 82.5% | 44.8% |
| TELUK BAHANG DAM | 64.0% | 48.6% |
The effective capacities of the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam have dropped by 37.7% and 15.4% respectively since 1.1.2023. This is due primarily to low rainfall (as related to climate change) in water catchment areas and high water demand in the State of Penang in 2023. The storage level of the Air Itam Dam had diminished by a higher percentage since 1.1.2023 because its maximum effective capacity is 2,160 million litres (ML) as compared to the Teluk Bahang Dam’s maximum effective capacity of 19,240 ML.
Please note that both dams were not refilled to 100% capacity at the end of 2022 due to low rainfall in water catchment areas last year. The Penang State Government and Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd (PBAPP) look forward to the success of the cloud-seeding operations. The Penang State Government had approved a RM400,000 budget to fund the cloud seeding operations. On 13.4.2023, PBAPP issued a media release requesting for assistance from the Federal Government.
We would like to thank the following organisations for their timely responses to an urgent matter. The National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) for prioritising and facilitating the cloud seeding operations. The RMAF for consenting to undertake the cloud seeding operations since there seem to be no qualified private sector companies that can meet the criteria and conditions set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). The MET Department and the Penang Water Regulatory Body (Badan Kawal Selia Air – BKSA) for assisting with the scheduling, liaison and all necessary arrangements with NADMA and RMAF.
The RMAF aircraft that will be deployed for the cloudseeding operations are likely to take off from the Subang Air Base in Selangor. Arrangements are being made for a PBAPP representative to witness the cloud seeding operations first-hand. On its part, PBAPP will report on the outcome of the first wave of cloud seeding operations are completed, in relation to the status of the dams. Kindly note that it will take a few days, after the last RMAF cloud seeding sortie, for final rainfall to occur and for the rainwater to flow into the dams.
Depending on the outcome and circumstances, PBAPP may also request for additional allocations from the Penang State Government to fund a second wave of additional cloud seeding operations to replenish the reserves of Penang’s dams. In 2023, the Federal Government, the Penang State Government, NADMA, RMAF, MET Department, BKSA and PBAPP are working hand-in-hand to minimise the risks of a potential water crisis in Penang.
PBAPP hopes that Penang domestic water consumers (households) will also play their roles by using water wisely until the reserves of the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam are replenished to safe levels. In 2022, about 61.5% of Penang’s total water consumption of 868 million litres per day (MLD) is due to domestic water consumption. In February 2023, total water consumption in Penang spiked further to an average of 944 MLD.
