Since 1 July 2025 data centres supplied above 50 kV have paid TNB’s HV Ultra time-of-use tariff: 55.18 sen/kWh at peak (Monday to Friday, 2pm to 10pm) and 51.09 sen/kWh off-peak, plus a capacity charge of RM21.76/kW and a network charge of RM23.06/kW each month (Energy Commission). The Deputy Prime Minister told Parliament the tariff applies to existing and new data centres supplied at high and extra-high voltage (The Star, 21 Oct 2026).
With the November 2026 fuel surcharge of 3.60 sen/kWh (Single Buyer) and the 1.6% Renewable Energy Fund levy (w.media), a 100 MW data centre at 80% load pays about 64.4 sen/kWh all-in, excluding SST: about RM37.6m a month. The calculation is below, with a calculator.
- 55.18 sen/kWh
- HV Ultra energy charge at peak (Energy Commission)
- 51.09 sen/kWh
- HV Ultra energy charge off-peak (Energy Commission)
- 64.4 sen/kWh
- All-in for 100 MW at 80% load, Nov 2026, before SST (calculation below)
- 58.6%
- Share of contracted power data centres used, Aug 2026 (w.media)
What tariff do data centres pay TNB in 2026?
Data centres pay the HV Ultra time-of-use tariff, which took effect on 1 July 2025. In a written reply to Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said it applies to existing and new data centres supplied at high voltage (above 50 kV up to 230 kV) and extra-high voltage (above 230 kV) (The Star, 21 Oct 2026). TNB defines HV as above 50 kV up to 230 kV, and EHV as above 230 kV (TNB).
| Component | HV Ultra (data centres) | Standard HV time of use |
|---|---|---|
| Energy, peak (Mon–Fri 2pm–10pm) | 55.18 sen/kWh | 44.52 sen/kWh |
| Energy, off-peak (all other hours, weekends) | 51.09 sen/kWh | 40.43 sen/kWh |
| Capacity charge, on peak maximum demand | RM21.76/kW/month | RM21.76/kW/month |
| Network charge, on peak maximum demand | RM23.06/kW/month | RM23.06/kW/month |
| Retail charge | RM250/month | RM250/month |
| Fuel surcharge (AFA), Nov 2026 | +3.60 sen/kWh, set monthly | +3.60 sen/kWh |
| Renewable Energy Fund levy | 1.6% of the bill | 1.6% of the bill |
Rates: Energy Commission copy of the TNB tariff schedule, valid 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2027. Fuel surcharge: Single Buyer. Levy: w.media.
There is no separate data-centre line on the bill. The premium sits in the energy charge: HV Ultra is 10.66 sen/kWh above the standard HV time-of-use rate at both peak (55.18 − 44.52) and off-peak (51.09 − 40.43). Capacity and network charges are the same as standard HV. For MV and HV, maximum demand recorded off-peak is not charged (TNB).
No official megawatt threshold for HV Ultra has been published. A figure of “above 100 MW” circulates without a primary source. A 100 MW campus would in practice be supplied at 132 kV or 275 kV, so it falls in HV Ultra either way.
What is the all-in cost per kWh for a 100 MW data centre?
A 100 MW data centre at 80% load factor pays about 64.4 sen/kWh all-in in November 2026, excluding SST. Each step uses the rates above.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly energy | 100,000 kW × 0.80 × 730 hours | 58,400,000 kWh |
| Share of hours at peak | 8 hours × 261 weekdays ÷ 8,760 hours (holidays ignored) | 23.84% |
| Average energy charge | 0.2384 × 55.18 + 0.7616 × 51.09 | 52.06 sen/kWh |
| Capacity and network | (21.76 + 23.06) × 100,000 kW = RM4,482,000 ÷ 58.4m kWh | 7.67 sen/kWh |
| Retail charge | RM250 ÷ 58.4m kWh | under 0.001 sen/kWh |
| Subtotal | 59.74 sen/kWh | |
| Fuel surcharge, Nov 2026 | +3.60 | 63.34 sen/kWh |
| Renewable Energy Fund levy | × 1.016 | 64.35 sen/kWh |
That is about RM37.6m a month, or about RM451m a year. On the standard HV time-of-use tariff the same site would pay about 53.52 sen/kWh, so the data-centre premium is about 10.8 sen/kWh, roughly 20% more. Analysts estimated about 58 to 70 sen/kWh, averaging about 60, in July 2025 (EdgeProp).
Assumptions: maximum demand is set at peak (the conservative case); load is flat across the week; SST is not included, because whether it applies to non-domestic electricity is not confirmed. If maximum demand were set only off-peak, the capacity and network charges could fall sharply. Each 1 sen/kWh of fuel surcharge changes the bill by about RM0.58m a month.
Calculate it for your site
- All-in, HV Ultra
- 64.35 sen/kWh
- Per month
- RM37.58m
- Per year
- RM451m
- Standard HV, same site
- 53.52 sen/kWh
Uses the rates and assumptions above: maximum demand at peak, flat load, SST excluded. An estimate, not a TNB quote.
What is the charge for unused or reserved power?
TNB’s existing charge for reserved but unused power is the Connected Load Charge: RM8.50 per kW of shortfall each month, applied since 15 January 2021 (TNB). It applies to new MV and HV customers for six years if their recorded maximum demand falls below 85% of declared demand in years 1 to 4, or below 75% in years 5 and 6. TNB notes the rate is subject to change.
Example, reading the 85% rule: 200 MW declared, so the reference is 170 MW; 100 MW actually used leaves a 70,000 kW shortfall; 70,000 × RM8.50 = RM595,000 a month, about RM7.1m a year.
In 2026 ministers said unused allocations will be charged. The MITI minister said operators are charged for their allocated capacity whether they use it or not, and that those who fail to pay will not be allowed to operate (The Star, 15 Oct 2026). The Deputy Prime Minister said the government had increased the Connected Load Charge (The Star, 21 Oct 2026). No new rate or start date has been published, and it is not confirmed whether RM8.50 is the old rate or the raised one. Data centres were using 1,374 MW of the 2,346 MW they had contracted in August 2026, or 58.6% (w.media).
What is TNB’s Green Lane Pathway, and how long does a grid connection take?
TNB’s Green Lane Pathway targets connecting a data centre in 12 months, against 36 to 48 months before it (TNB). TNB had delivered 33 projects through Green Lane by March 2026. Spare capacity at a given substation is not published; TNB confirms it site by site.
Conflicting figures
On 10 November 2026 we asked AI engines what a 100 MW data centre pays. They gave three different numbers. Each is a real figure, but for something else.
| Figure quoted | What it actually is | Use it? |
|---|---|---|
| About 47.36 sen/kWh | The standard HV General tariff (43.03 sen/kWh flat) plus charges. Data centres are not on that tariff. | No |
| 55.18 / 51.09 sen/kWh | The HV Ultra energy charge only: no capacity, network, fuel surcharge or levy. | As the energy charge only |
| About 60 sen/kWh | A rounded all-in estimate without its inputs shown (analysts via EdgeProp). | Close; we show the inputs |
| 64.35 sen/kWh | This page: HV Ultra with capacity, network, November 2026 fuel surcharge and levy, for 100 MW at 80% load. | Yes, with the stated assumptions |
What is not public
We could not confirm these from a published source as of 10 November 2026. Do not assume them:
- An official megawatt threshold for the HV Ultra tariff
- The new Connected Load Charge rate and start date announced in 2026
- Whether SST applies to data-centre electricity
- The October 2026 fuel surcharge rate
- Spare grid capacity by substation
Croutons Research publishes open data and methods on AI data centres in Malaysia. See the open method for measuring AI work per megawatt.
Sources
- Energy Commission, TNB tariff schedule RP4 (MyEnergyStats copy)
- The Star, data centres to bear costs (21 Oct 2026)
- TNB, tariff page (voltage bands, time of use, AFA)
- Single Buyer, Automatic Fuel Adjustment
- EdgeProp, analysts on data-centre electricity costs (Jul 2025)
- w.media, Renewable Energy Fund levy of 1.6%
- TNB, charges and penalties (Connected Load Charge)
- The Star, unused power allocations (15 Oct 2026)
- w.media, contracted versus used capacity
- TNB, Green Lane Pathway
- Malay Mail, data-centre power share heading for 21% (4 Nov 2026)
- Malay Mail, 8.39 GW by 2030 (Oct 2026)
Last checked 10 November 2026