SUBANG JAYA: Malaysia expects to add about nine gigawatts (GW) of gas-fired power capacity to the electricity system as it prepares to phase out coal generation by 2044, says Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
The Economy Minister said the additional gas capacity would be needed to help manage future electricity demand while the country continues efforts to reduce the energy sector’s carbon footprint.
“We expect the need for about 9GW to be deployed or to be put into the system through our gas power plants,” he told reporters after officiating the Energy Regulatory Insights 2026 here on Tuesday (Sept 8).
Akmal said the planning would have to be managed by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) together with the Energy Commission to ensure Malaysia could meet rising demand without compromising its sustainability commitments.
He said the government was no longer planning new coal-based power plants, with the final coal plant expected to be retired by 2044.
“That will be the last coal power plant to be retired,” he said.
Akmal added that Malaysia’s electricity system would also require continued investment in the grid and wider infrastructure, rather than focusing only on additional generation capacity.
He said managing energy demand would become as important as managing supply over the next five to 10 years, with the system needing to remain affordable, safe and sustainable.
