Johor slows data-centre approvals as a 5.8 GW pipeline — ByteDance at its centre — strains power and water
Malaysia's Johor state runs about 580 MW of data centres today with 5,800 MW planned. ByteDance is anchor tenant of the 110 MW MY06 campus and pledged RM10 billion for an AI hub; the state has begun assessing new projects on power and water efficiency after officials conceded worries about shortages.
Johor, across the strait from Singapore, has become Southeast Asia's data-centre boomtown. ByteDance, TikTok's parent, is anchor tenant of Bridge Data Centres' MY06 hyperscale facility in Sedenak Tech Park (110 MW, opened 2022) and announced a further RM1.5 billion for Johor on top of a RM10 billion AI-hub plan for Malaysia; GDS, which primarily serves ByteDance, is another major developer there.
Reporting in 2025 described the state's grid and water resources under strain from a pipeline that would take data-centre capacity from roughly 580 MW to 5,800 MW. The Johor Bahru mayor conceded he was worried about water and power shortages, and the state government said new developments would be assessed on power and water efficiency under new sustainability guidelines.
ByteDance pledged operational carbon neutrality and 100% renewable electricity by 2030 but has published no emissions, energy or water figures. Malaysia's grid is predominantly gas and coal.
Sources
- 1.Malaysia's AI data center boom strains power grid and water supply (5.8 GW pipeline)CO/AI · Aug 1, 2025
- 2.TikTok owner ByteDance to expand Malaysia data center footprint in $2.1bn AI dealData Center Dynamics · Jun 7, 2024
- 3.ByteDance pledges to be operationally carbon neutral by 2030Data Center Dynamics · Mar 14, 2023