PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s second Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant is set to be operational by 2029, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
He said that the new WtE plant – located in Sungai Udang, Melaka – will be able to process 1,000 tonnes daily and generate 22MW of electricity.
He added that the new plant will also be able to reduce over 259,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – similar to planting four million trees.
“The plant will also be equipped with a leachate treatment plant, with a capacity of 96 cubic metres, and will be built on the 9.8-acre land at the existing Sungai Udang’s landfill,” he said on Thursday (June 19).
Nga was speaking at the signing of a concession agreement through public-private partnership with Malakoff Corporation Bhd and Alam Flora Environmental Solutions Sdn Bhd (AFES).
The project involves a RM660mil investment cost into a 34-year concession – including three-year construction from 2026 – through the Build, Operate and Own (BOO) concept.
“The plant will use stoker grate incineration technology, which would fit the technical requirement and the latest environmental standards.
“The concession company has also expressed its commitment to build a second line furnace in the future, to ensure continuous operation without disruption, subject to the negotiation deals,” he added.
The plant will start its construction in 2026 after fulfilling various conditions, including Environmental Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment, Environmental Management Plan, Waste Structure Plan and other technical documents.
The first WtE plant is located at Ladang Tanah Merah, Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan and was completed in 2023.
Nga said the need for transformation of waste management has become more crucial as the data shows that Malaysia is running out of landfills, as the country is projected to produce 17.03 million tonnes of waste by 2035.
“This increase in waste is a clear indication that the use of landfills is not only unsustainable, but also incapable of managing waste.
“It’s time for us to review our approaches and start to shift to more sustainable solutions,” he added.
Previously, it was reported that the government has identified 18 possible sites for proposed WtE plants that will serve the needs of every state in Peninsula Malaysia.
Last July, Nga told the Dewan Rakyat that the sites are: Jabi and Padang Cina in Kedah; Bukit Payung, Seelong and Sedili (Johor); Jabor-Jerangau and Belenggu (Pahang); Sungai Udang (Melaka); Rawang (Kuala Lumpur); Jeram, Tanjung Dua Belas and Rawang Dua (Selangor); Pulau Burung (Penang); Lahat, Taiping and Manjung (Perak); Tertak Batu (Terengganu); and Jedok (Kelantan).
