The World Bank Group has partnered with Johor and Ditrolic Energy to develop the Southern Johor Renewable Energy Corridor (SJREC), a transformative US$6 billion (RM24.83 billion) project designed to establish Johor as a regional hub for clean energy.
According to a report by The News Strait Times, the partnership was formalised through a letter of agreement signed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm, Permodalan Darul Ta’zim (PDT) – Johor’s state investment agency – and Ditrolic Energy on Monday. The signing was witnessed by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
The agreement coincided with the launch of the Johor Renewable Energy Policy 2030, which provides a framework for joint initiatives covering project development, technical assistance, and financing.
Spanning 2,000 sq km, the SJREC will feature a hybrid solar and battery energy storage system, forming a central element of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) masterplan. The project’s first phase is expected to deliver up to 4 gigawatts peak (GWp) of solar capacity and 5.12 gigawatt hours of energy storage across a 10,000-acre site, supplying clean electricity to local and multinational corporations, including hyperscale data centres, manufacturers, and other commercial operations.
Equipped with cross-border electricity transmission capabilities, the corridor will also supply Singapore, contributing to the Asean Power Grid (APG) initiative, which aims to connect regional electricity networks and strengthen energy cooperation across Southeast Asia by 2045.
“This project confirms Johor’s readiness to serve as a primary renewable energy hub for the Asean Power Grid, realising the vision we set forth for a sustainable, high-growth future,” said Datuk Ramlee A Rahman, president and group chief executive of PDT, in a statement.
