KUALA LUMPUR (Apr 14): Electric utility giant Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) announced that its new coal-fired power plant in Manjung, Perak — dubbed “Manjung 4” — has begun commercial operations from midnight yesterday and will transmit an additional 1,000 megawatt (MW) into the national grid.

In a media release this evening, TNB (fundamental: 1.3; valuation: 1.8) said the plant was commissioned just five hours after receiving the Commissioning Test Certificate from the Energy Commission at 7pm yesterday (April 13).

“The plant has met all the required tests and is currently running within the expected operating parameters. The 1,000MW of power generated, equivalent to the electricity needs of 2 million domestic users, will contribute towards further stability of the grid system and enhance reliability of supply,” said Shamsul Ahmad, the managing director of the group’s wholly-owned subsidiary TNB Janamanjung Sdn Bhd.

TNB said the power supplied by the Manjung 4 plant has raised TNB Janamanjung’s generating capacity to 3,100MW, turning it into the largest independent power producer in Peninsular Malaysia today.

Located on a 325ha land, TNB said Manjung 4 is Southeast Asia’s most efficient power plant at present and that it employs the super ultracritical combustion technology, which has met the stringent environmental standards set by the World Bank and Malaysia’s Department of Environment.

Besides Manjung 4, TNB Janamanjung operates three other coal-fired power plants with a combined generating capacity of 2,100 megawatt.

TNB’s installed capacity in Peninsular Malaysia stands at 10,698MW, serving 8.71 million customers. Including IPPs, its total installed capacity in the country stands at some 20,944MW.

The stock ended 0.14% or 2 sen lower at RM14.42 today, with 11.6 million shares traded, giving it a market capitalisation of RM81.27 billion.

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