Malaysia opens sixth Large‑Scale Solar tender for a 2.5‑GW buildout

Development will be concentrated in southern Peninsular Malaysia due to strong demand.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) has launched the tender for the country’s sixth Large-Scale Solar programme (LSS6).

The tender calls for 2.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity, above the market's 2 GW estimate, alongside 1.25 GW of battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity and a 150-megawatt (MW) set-aside for Bumiputera solar developers in Peninsular Malaysia.

At an estimated capital expenditure of $855,000 (RM3.5m)/MW for combined solar-plus-BESS systems, LSS6 is expected to generate around $2.2b (RM9b) in Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning (EPCC) contract value.

A UOB Kay Hian report noted Solarvest stands as the primary beneficiary, assuming it retains its roughly 30% share of the utility-scale EPCC market.

Meanwhile, Northern Solar is well placed to capture EPCC contracts for smaller-scale projects under 100 MW.

Development will be concentrated in southern Peninsular Malaysia, driven by rising power demand in the area, giving developers with existing landbanks there a competitive edge in the tender.

Projects will be commissioned in phases, with full commercial operation targeted by 31 December 2029.