Technology company Google has announced a $160 million investment to fund shared water infrastructure and clean energy workforce initiatives in Negeri Sembilan, supporting its upcoming data centre campus in Springhill Industrial Park.
In coordination with the State Government of Negeri Sembilan and Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan Sdn Bhd (SAINS), Google has appointed infrastructure engineering firm Gamuda Berhad to construct an off-river storage reservoir and water treatment plant along the Linggi River. Upon completion, ownership of the facilities will transfer to state asset management body Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (Incorporated).
The operational plant will feature a daily processing capacity of 65 million litres of potable water, serving Google’s facility alongside expanding public municipal supply. Designed to capture excess river flow and seasonal rainfall, the off-river reservoir mitigates regional flood risks while storing raw water reserves that can be drawn during dry periods without disrupting natural river ecosystems.
Key operational, infrastructure, and educational commitments outlined in the announcement include:
- Utility and infrastructure cost allocation: Google will pay 100 per cent of the electricity costs used by the data centre campus, alongside funding direct grid interconnection infrastructure while adhering to local regulatory frameworks.
- National grid power off-take: Connects to existing clean power initiatives via Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with consortiums led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies to add net-new renewable energy capacity to Malaysia’s National Grid.
- School energy literacy program: Partners with the SOLS Foundation to establish Solar and Energy Labs—equipped with 2.56-kilowatt-peak solar arrays and 5.4-kilowatt-hour battery storage systems—across public schools to supply backup power and reduce institutional electricity expenses.
- Vocational digital upskilling: Funds a 36-hour digital skills training module within the SOLS Solar Academy starting in early 2027, preparing youth from lower-income and Indigenous communities for technical trades in solar installation, EV charging maintenance, and grid operations.
Dato’ Haji Najmuddin Sharif bin Sarimon, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Negeri Sembilan, stated that Google’s presence establishes a high-value digital infrastructure benchmark for the state, aligning private investment with long-term public utility benefits and workforce development.
Drew Byrnes, Director and Head of Global Infrastructure and Energy for Asia Pacific at Google, added that funding shared water infrastructure aligns with the company’s global commitment to replenish 120 per cent of its operational freshwater consumption while embedding sustainable power and skilling pipelines across local communities.
