The government of Malaysia has shortlisted four firms for a waste to energy treatment plant in Kuala Lumpur, the Kepong Solid Waste Transfer Station PPP project.

The four shortlisted firms beat out competition from 29 other competitors. The firms are the following:

• UEM Environment Sdn Bhd which is teaming up with Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd,
• DRB-Hicom Bhd, MMC Corp Bhd's (51% owned by Malakoff Corp Bhd) and Japan's Sumitomo Corp,
• Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and South Korea's Hyundai Rotem Co, and
• Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd and Japan's Hitachi Zosen Corp.

The project will be located at Kepong, a town at the borders Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, located about 6 km from the Kuala Lumpur City Center, to the south of Sungai Buloh. The project involves the development of a 15 MW waste-to-energy incinerator with a total capacity of 1,000 tonnes per year.

The concession period will be for up to 30 years. The project is expected to be operational by 2018.

The total project investment is estimated between RM600 million (US$183 million) and RM800 million (US$244 million).

The bidder was supposed to bring in a strong technology partner with sound financial capability and proven track record in providing environmental solutions.

The technology partner should have at least 10 years of experience in operating an incinerator, with an 85% efficiency running at a rate of 8,100 hours a year.

Another waste to energy PPP project is in planning stage in Malaysia, the Taman Beringin waste-to-energy incinerator. The total project investment is estimated at about RM1 billion.