By TMR / Pic By HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN

TENAGA Nasional Bhd’s (TNB) second large scale solar (LSS) is on track for completion before the end of 2020 with over 84% of the project in Kedah having been constructed to date.

The project — situated on a 50ha land plot in Bukit Selambau, 25km from Sungai Petani — involves the installation of 134,880 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with a capacity to generate up to 30MW.

It is being developed by TNB Bukit Selambau Solar Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of TNB Renewables Energy Sdn Bhd.

The RM180 million project was launched by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir in March.

During its construction, the project’s spillover effect on the surrounding areas includes the creation of around 250 jobs in various capacities. At its peak, a total of 252 subcontract workers will be employed, of which 95% are locals.

TNB’s first LSS project — one of the biggest in Malaysia — is located on a 98ha land parcel in Sepang, Selangor. The plant, equipped with 238,000 solar PV panels that can generate up to 50MW, has been operating since November 2018.

Through LSS, solar installation on rooftops and other TNB’s renewable energy (RE) projects, the company aims to generate RE up to 1,700MW by 2025. These RE initiatives are in line with the government’s target of having 20% of the country’s electricity generated from renewable sources by 2025.