Tenaga Nasional

The Lembaga Letrik Pusat (Central Electricity Board, CEB) was established and came into operation on 1 September 1949. The Board was to become heir to three major projects considered by the Electricity Department following its re-establishment in April 1946 which were the Connaught Bridge Power Station, Cameron Highlands Hydroelectric Project & the development of a National Grid. CEB eventually became the owner of 34 power stations with a generation capacity of 39.88 MW, including a steam power station in Bangsar with a capacity of 26.5 MW, a hydroelectric power station at Ulu Langat with a capacity of 2.28 MW, and various diesel powered generators with a total capacity of 11.1 MW.[6]

On 22 June 1965, Central Electricity Board (CEB) of the Federation of Malaya was renamed the Lembaga Letrik Negara (National Electricity Board, NEB) of the States of Malaya. By the 1980s, the Board was supplying the whole peninsula with electricity, replacing the Perak River Hydro Electric Power company (PRHEP) and its subsidiary Kinta Electrical Distribution Co. Ltd (KED) in 1982, Penang Municipality in 1976, and areas supplied by Huttenbach Ltd in 1964, which included Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Kulim, Lunas, Padang Serai, Telok Anson, Langkap, Tampin and Kuala Pilah.

On 4 May 1988, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced the government’s decision on a policy of privatisation. Two pieces of legislation were passed to replace the Electricity Act and to provide for the establishment of a new corporation. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) was formed in 1990 by the Electricity Supply Successor Company Act 1990, to succeed the National Electricity Board (NEB) of the States of Malaya.

The TNB Group has a complete power supply system, including the National Grid which is energised at 132, 275 and 500 kilovolt (kV), with its tallest electricity pylon in Malaysia and Southeast Asia being the Kerinchi Pylon located near Menara Telekom, Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur. The National Grid is linked via 132 kV HVAC and 300 kV HVDC interconnection to Thailand and 230 kV cables to Singapore.

TNB, through its subsidiaries, is also involved in the manufacturing of transformers, high voltage switchgears and electrical cables, consultancy services, architectural, civil and electrical engineering works and services, repair and maintenance services and fuel undertakes research and development, property development, and project management services. TNB also offers higher education through its university, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten).

For a list of TNB owned power stations see List of power stations in Malaysia.

The Generation division owns and operates thermal assets and hydroelectric generation schemes in Peninsular Malaysia and one Independent Power Producer (IPP) operating in Pakistan. In the peninsula, it has a generation capacity of 11,296 MW.[11]

Plans to expand its generation capacity include increasing hydroelectric generation by 2015[12] and commissioning the first nuclear power plant in Malaysia by 2025 if the government decides to include nuclear as an acceptable energy option.[13]

The Distribution division conducts the distribution network operations and electricity retail operations of TNB. The division plans, constructs, operates, performs repairs and maintenance and manages the assets of the 33 kV, 22 kV, 11 kV, 6.6 kV and 415/240 volt in the Peninsular Malaysia distribution network. Sabah Electricity provides the same function in the state of Sabah.

To conduct its electricity retailing business, it operates a network of state and area offices to purchase electricity from embedded generators, market and sell electricity, connect new supply, provide counter services, collect revenues, operate call management centres, provide supply restoration services, and implements customer and government relationships.[14]