Malaysia Plans Power Privatisation

The beginning was made in April 1993 when YTL Power Generation Sdn Bhd was awarded the first licence under the independent power producer (IPP) programme to build and operate two power plants in Malaysia. The $ 1.4 billion IPP project produces 1,212 mw of electricity at the two plants.

YTL Power Genration had awarded a joint venture comprising Siemens AG and Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiopng Lay Sdn Bhd (SPYTL) the contract for turnkey consutruction of three combined cycle blocks with a total capacity of 1212 mw. Two of these blocks were built at Paka on the east coast in Terengganu province and one at Pasir Gudang on the south coast in Johor province.

 

The contract between Siemens and SPYTL provided for the construction and commissioning of the two power plants in stages. The first gas turbine-generators were synchronised with the grid in just ten months afer the order had been awarded and the last of the four gas turbine-generators in Paka went on line 12 months after receipt of the order.

The first block in Paka and the one in Pasir Gudang started trial operation 22 months after receipt of order; the second block at Paka started one month later. The plants thus started commercial operation after 23 months