What should a developer investigate about electricity infrastructure before acquiring a site?

What We Know

The investigation should cover the following areas.

#### 1. Define the project’s actual electrical requirement

For a generating project:

• Installed DC and AC capacity.
• Maximum export at the connection point.
• Hourly and seasonal generation profile.
• Reactive-power capability.
• Expected ramp rates.
• Whether BESS will be included.
• Maximum BESS charge and discharge.
• Whether grid charging is required.
• Acceptable curtailment or export limits.
• Future expansion phases.

For an electricity consumer:

• Connected load and realistic maximum demand.
• Hourly, daily and seasonal load profile.
• Motor-starting or other large transient loads.
• Power-quality characteristics.
• Required supply voltage.
• Reliability and redundancy requirements.
• Staged energisation and load ramp-up.
• Future expansion.
• On-site generation, solar, BESS and backup systems.

#### 2. Identify candidate connection points

The developer should identify more than one possible node and establish:

• Voltage level.
• Distance by a buildable route.
• Existing transformer and feeder capacity.
• Current loading and daytime minimum demand.
• Spare bay and busbar availability.
• Fault-level headroom.
• Existing and committed generation or load.
• Planned network reinforcement.
• Ownership and operating entity.
• Whether the connection point is distribution or transmission.
• Whether it falls under TNB, Sabah Electricity, Sarawak Energy or another licensed network.

TNB’s Distributed Generation Hosting Capacity Map can support initial screening for medium-voltage renewable connections, but TNB describes the nodal information as a preliminary guide. It does not replace a project-specific study. TNB: Distributed Energy Resources Integration

#### 3. Confirm the likely connection scheme

Investigate whether the project needs:

• A new feeder.
• An extension to an existing substation.
• A complete connection bay.
• A project substation or switching station.
• A new utility substation.
• A dedicated underground cable or overhead line.
• Loop-in loop-out works on an existing transmission line.
• Additional transformers.
• Protection and communications changes.
• SCADA, metering or forecasting systems.
• Reactive-power, harmonic-filtering or system-strength equipment.
• A firm, non-firm or export-limited connection.

#### 4. Investigate the route, not only the endpoints

A credible route assessment should identify:

• All affected land parcels and owners.
• Wayleave or easement requirements.
• Road, rail, river and utility crossings.
• Highway and Public Works Department clearances.
• Forest, environmental and heritage constraints.
• Flood and geotechnical conditions.
• Access for construction and maintenance.
• Underground congestion.
• Alternative routes.
• Whether route rights survive a sale or change of project ownership.

#### 5. Protect substation and infrastructure land

TNB’s connection guidance states that substation sites and feeder routes should be identified during the development-plan stage. Large developments may need to allocate land for distribution substations, main intake substations and 132 kV or 275 kV wayleaves. TNB: Connection Guidelines

For electricity-consuming developments, TNB may require the applicant to provide substation land and buildings. The site may have to be transferred or leased to TNB at nominal consideration, subject to the applicable requirements. TNB: Supply Application

The developer should therefore confirm:

• Required land dimensions.
• Access and setback requirements.
• Flood level and platform elevation.
• Ownership-transfer or lease requirements.
• Whether TNB can use the substation for other consumers.
• Responsibility for civil works and equipment.
• Timing of title transfer.
• Compatibility with the site masterplan.

#### 6. Establish cost responsibility

The budget should distinguish:

• Technical-study fees.
• Utility connection charges.
• Project-side electrical infrastructure.
• Interconnector and route costs.
• Substation land and building.
• Works inside the utility substation.
• Wider network reinforcement.
• Metering, protection, communications and SCADA.
• Testing and commissioning.
• Losses and ongoing network charges.
• Maintenance and asset replacement.
• Taxes, financing and contingency.
• Potential cost escalation and reconciliation.

#### 7. Test the programme

The connection schedule should include:

• Study and approval periods.
• Detailed design.
• Land and wayleave acquisition.
• Planning and environmental approvals.
• Procurement of transformers, switchgear and cables.
• Construction.
• Required network outages.
• Testing and commissioning.
• Utility asset handover.
• Licensing and agreement conditions.
• Energisation or commercial-operation milestones.

The developer should compare this critical path with land-option expiry, financing deadlines, programme awards, construction contracts and customer commitments.

#### 8. Verify the status of any quoted capacity

Ask:

• Is the capacity merely indicative?
• Has it been confirmed by a completed technical study?
• Is it reserved for this project?
• What conditions must be met to retain it?
• Are earlier applications ahead of the project?
• When does an inactive allocation expire?
• Could planned generation or demand change the result?
• How long is the study or approval valid?
• Does a change in project size, technology or ownership trigger a new study?

#### 9. Structure the land transaction around grid risk

Before unconditional acquisition, consider:

• A site option rather than immediate purchase.
• Conditions precedent tied to an acceptable connection offer.
• Access rights for surveys and studies.
• Rights to obtain wayleaves across retained land.
• A long-stop date matching the utility process.
• Price adjustment or termination rights if connection capacity is reduced.
• Permission to assign the land and grid applications to a project company or buyer.
• Protection against competing energy rights over the same site.

#### Minimum evidence before a major land commitment

The appropriate threshold varies by project, but a developer should ideally have:

• A defined electrical requirement and load or generation profile.
• Written preliminary feedback from the relevant network operator.
• At least one technically credible connection point.
• A preliminary single-line diagram.
• A route and land assessment.
• A realistic connection-cost range.
• A study and approval plan.
• A programme aligned with utility lead times.
• Land agreements conditional on acceptable grid results.
• A clear understanding that preliminary hosting data is not a capacity guarantee.

People & Organisations

• TNB Grid
• TNB Distribution Network
• Grid System Operator
• Single Buyer
• Energy Commission
• Sabah Electricity
• Sarawak Energy
• Local authorities and One Stop Centres
• State land offices
• Licensed surveyors
• Professional engineers
• Power-system and environmental consultants
• Landowners
• Developers, investors and lenders
• Engineering and construction contractors