The controversial Bakun hydroelectric dam project will be completed at an estimated cost of RM7.6 billion, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

The figure was revealed by Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry Hilmi Yahya in a reply to Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) in an oral question session.

This is the latest amount revealed by the government for the mega-project. In the past, the cost has been revised a few times, from its initial RM9 billion to between RM4 billion and RM5 billion later.

The dam is scheduled for completion in 2007 and is designed to produce 2,400 megawatts of electricity.

The project in Sarawak has been dogged with delays and setbacks since its approval in 1993.

The dam, which involves flooding an area the size of Singapore, has attracted fierce criticism because of its harmful impact on the environment and the fact that 10,000 residents have already had to evacuate the project site.