Rare to see someone from the industry willing to spill the beans.

You post something like this and expect quality replies? No wonder Malaysia feels hopeless sometimes...

About the utility readiness —if you were the utility provider, ask yourself: Would you invest in expensive infrastructure first, and then hope the customers come later?

We’re talking about large-scale infrastructure that involves massive CAPEX — not a few thousand ringgit, but millions or even billions.
No utility provider will commit that kind of spending unless they can recover it.
If there are no confirmed users, no ability to bill, and a real risk of underutilization — who wants to answer to the board for spending without guaranteed demand?

It’s just logical business decision-making.

When a data center comes in, their power requirements are huge. We're not talking about small-scale installations with a single or double chamber that take a few months to commission. A typical data center may need anywhere from 5 MW to 20 MW — which means they need a PMU.

That PMU needs its own building, proper design, and must be constructed and handed over to TNB.
Only after TNB officially takes over can they begin their part — which could take another 18 to 24 months for external 33kV cabling and energization.


Reference taken from the TNB's Handbook

Even if the DC building construction is fast-tracked, the overall project still hits a bottleneck when it comes to power readiness from the utility provider like TNB.

The same issue applies to SAJ when it comes to water supply — if the current water tower can’t meet the demand, a new one needs to be built, and that takes time.

So the ang moh companies face this problem here and act surprised — as if they won’t face similar issues elsewhere (Thailand, Philippine or Australia )?
Unless there’s a comprehensive master plan that has been in place for years specifically to cater for data center needs, I doubt any town planner or state government would be crazy or foolish enough to build such large infrastructure without a guaranteed anchor client.

No one dare to reply your post but I appreciate your reply. One 275 kV PMU can theoretically power about 2.5 to 3 cities the size of Petaling Jaya at peak demand. The, 275kV demand is very huge !

For a 275 kV to be completed within 2 to 3 years is already a miracle. The land acquisition is not an easy matter when it involves private land — in case the private owner contests the compensation of the land acquisition. The public thinks it is a wet market transaction.

What’s saddening is the ang moh highlighting the problem (without exploring the cause of the problem), but the readers just believe it without any intention to understand the depth of the issues faced in the distribution.

~

Practical Example (Malaysia)
PMU Serdang East (275 kV AIS):
Took approximately 30 months from ground-breaking to energization.

PMU Olak Lempit Upgrade (275/500 kV):
Estimated project duration was 36 months due to complexity and transformer upgrades

~

The public who criticize these delays are like people asking why a baby can’t be born faster by getting nine women pregnant at the same time.

If the ang moh wants to compare Malaysia with other countries — Thailand, the Philippines, or Australia — and if those countries truly can build a 275 kV substation faster, then yes, TNB should reflect on why others can deliver the "baby" sooner.

But until we see that happening consistently elsewhere, the public needs to educate themselves. You can’t rush something that naturally takes time. Just like making a baby — it takes nine months, no matter how impatient you are. In this case - 275kV PMU need minimum time around 30-36 months ( if the existing site do not have any 275KV PMU)

No worries about causing offense — no one is getting offended, at least not me. This is a public forum, after all. We're here to share information, not to offend anyone or make enemies.

I appreciate your responses.