At the bustling 2,200 MW Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Power Station in Kapar, Klang, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) does more than keep lights on across Malaysia.
Through its subsidiaries TNB Power Generation Sdn Bhd (TNB Genco) and Kapar Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd (KEV), the station balances energy security with a surprising ally: nature itself.
Its triple-fuel capability—gas, oil and coal—ensures reliable power, while its unique location has become a sanctuary for some of the world’s most extraordinary travellers.
From August to April, the station’s ash pond transforms into a high-tide roosting site for millions of migratory waterbirds journeying thousands of kilometres from the Arctic regions of Russia and Alaska.
Species such as the endangered Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) and the Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) rely on Kapar as a critical pitstop before continuing to Australia and New Zealand.
Annual monitoring by the Malaysian Nature Society recorded a peak of 36,692 waterbirds at the site—Malaysia’s highest-ever count—representing 40 species, including globally endangered and vulnerable birds.
Kapar is not just a stopover; it is part of a wider coastal habitat network along North–Central Selangor. Eurasian Curlews, Curlew Sandpipers, Nordmann’s Greenshank and even Painted Storks and Lesser Adjutants have been spotted here, signalling a thriving ecosystem in harmony with industrial operations.
TNB’s work goes beyond observation. Collaborating with government agencies, conservation partners and NGOs, the company integrates ecological considerations into daily operations, ensuring habitat conservation while raising environmental awareness in local communities.
KEV’s efforts show how even legacy power assets can foster biodiversity, proving that responsible energy generation and nature can coexist, powering both homes and hope for Malaysia’s migratory birds.
