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Malaysia Announces Winning Bidders For LSS3

The Malaysian Energy Commission awarded less than 500 MW AC capacity in the LSS3 solar auction round to five consortiums of local and international players. (Source: Suruhanjaya Tenaga)

Anu Bhambhani
  • For its LSS3 auction round, Malaysia has selected five consortiums of local and international players
  • The consortiums of ib vogt, engie and Hanwha with their local partners secured 100 MW each, with partnership of two local firms Cypark Resources and Impian Bumiria winning another 100 MW
  • Solarpack's joint bid with JKH Renewables won 90.88 MW in the tender
  • All projects need to come online in Marang, Kuala Muda, Kerian and Pekan regions of Peninsular Malaysia in 2021

The Malaysian Energy Commission, locally known as Suruhanjaya Tenaga, has issued a list of winning bidders—that it refers to as shortlisted bidders—for the country's large scale solar (LSS) PV plant tender round 3 or LSS3 launched in February 2019 with 500 MW AC capacity on offer to be set up in Peninsular Malaysia (see Malaysia Tenders 500 MW Large Scale Solar).

Some of globally renowned solar developer/EPC names are part of the winners list from Germany, France, South Korea among others. All of these have won the capacity in consortia with local firms. Germany's ib vogt GmbH in partnership with local PV project developer Coara Solar Sdn. Bhd won 100 MW capacity which they will develop in Marang, Terengganu.

Local firms, publicly listed Cypark Resources Berhad and Impian Bumiria secured another 100 MW capacity to also be located in Marang, Terengganu. Two other consortiums won 100 MW each namely France's Engie Energie Services and solar power supplier TTL Energy of Malaysia to build the capacity in Kerian, Perak; and the consortium of Hanwha Energy Corporation Singapore with Malaysian company Konsortium Beseri Jaya will be building the project in Pekan, Pahang.

One more consortium of Malaysian firm JKH Renewables Sdn. Bhd. with Solarpack Asia Sdn. Bhd., the local subsidiary of Spain's Solarpack, have secured rights to develop 90.88 MW capacity in Kuala Muda, Kedah.

The commission did not specify the winning bids for these projects but stated, "The selection of the bidders are based on bids with the most competitive offer prices and meeting all the RFP requirements." Winners have time till 2021 to bring these projects online.

It offers no explanation for awarding less than 500 MW capacity in the third round even though the tender was massively oversubscribed with 6.7 GW total bids received. The lowest bid came in at RM 0.178 ($0.04) per kWh for this tender round (see RM 0.178/kWh Lowest Bid For Malaysian Solar Tender).

In the previous two rounds, the commission had awarded more capacity than offered with more than 450 MW in LSS1 round and 536 MW in LSS 2 round.