Power utilities should be technology agnostic, as there are no single technology that fits all the needs of different customers or can solve all problems, said Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) President/Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Ir. Azman Mohd.

“We should be technology agnostic. We should be thinking what will benefit the customers,” he said during panel discussion of Heads and CEOs of Utilities at the AESIEAP CEO Conference 2017 on Monday.

Different segment of the customers may require different technology, based upon their location and spending power, said Azman who is also President of AESIEAP for 2017-2018.

AESIEAP or Association of the Electricity Supply Industry of East Asia and Western Pacific was founded in 1975 to allow members to foster cooperation and exchange expertise and technology.

“We should reflect how we are relevant to the customers’ needs and expectations,” he told power industry leaders, experts and futurists from East Asia and  Western Pacific attending the conference yesterday.

The AESIEAP CEO Conference, held in Penang was attended by approximately 130 foreign delegates  from over 30 countries and over 80 from host country, Malaysia.

Azman also suggested that before opting for any technology, power utilities should reflect back on the reason behind their existence and on the need to give the best value to the customers and stakeholders.

For TNB, he said as a national electric corporation, its responsibility is not only in ‘keeping the lights on’ for the nation, but also to provide competitive return to its shareholders.

Azman also called on AESIEAP members to work together to take advantage of the growth potential in Asia’s power sector.

“There is a lot that we can collaborate here. Not only in terms of talents and knowledge but also innovation that we can do for this region,” he added.

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