UAE state-run renewables developer Masdar has started construction of the 200 MW Chereh Dam Floating Solar PV (FPV) Project in Malaysia.
The plant is expected to begin operations in 2028 and when complete, it will be one of the largest FPV developments in Southeast Asia.
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Development of the facility will be carried out by Chereh Solar, the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor is Citaglobal Berhad, and the approximately MYR580 million (US$142 million) funding for the project was finalised on 27th October 2026, with three international lenders coordinated by TIZA Global.
The power generated by the project is subject to a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia’s national utility company, in December 2025.
The project is Masdar’s first in Malaysia, but the company brings its experience in developing similar floating solar facilities, particularly from its work on the 145MW Cirata project in Indonesia.
Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the Sultan of Pahang, said: “The Chereh Floating Solar Project reflects how our natural resources can be used responsibly to contribute to Malaysia’s renewable energy ambitions, while bringing opportunities for local communities and industry. I look forward to seeing the project deliver meaningful benefits for Pahang and the nation.”
Masdar is also currently working on a feasibility study for a further floating solar installation at the Murum reservoir in Sarawak, Malaysia.
The project was secured through a competitive tender to be part of Malaysia’s Large Scale Solar (LSS) Cycle 5+ programme. The Chereh Dam Floating Solar PV Project will be the first part of the 10GW renewable energy roadmap agreed with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) in 2023.
Malaysia has set a target to increase the share of renewables in its installed electricity-generation capacity to 35% by 2030.
Geographical and socio-political issues in Asia-Pacific (APAC) mean floating solar arrays are more common in the region than elsewhere, with recent projects announced or under development in Indonesia and Thailand.
Earlier this month, India’s Tata Power and Norwegian technology company Ocean Sun announced they would pilot membrane-based floating solar technology in a 300kWp facility in Maharashtra, India. Masdar’s interests in solar PV development have extended in recent months to several projects in Europe, at home and in Australasia.
