AirTrunk to build second data centre in Johor, combined cost of two facilities at RM9.7bil

AirTrunk to build second data centre in Johor, combined cost of two facilities at RM9.7bil

14 Feb 2025

Hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk plans to make another multi-billion ringgit investment to develop its second cloud and AI-ready data centre in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

The new data centre, named JHB2, will be capable of exceeding 270 megawatts (MW) to support the growing demand from global public cloud and technology companies in the region.

This announcement follows the launch of AirTrunk’s first Johor data centre, JHB1, in July last year, which has a capacity of 150MW.

The two facilities will provide more than 420MW of IT load and are expected to cost a combined RM9.7 billion (A$3.5 billion).

“Strategically located in a major availability zone, JHB2 offers an end-to-end cross border connectivity strategy for customers and the ability to scale their operations to match demand,” it said today.

The additional capacity will support Malaysia’s fast-growing digital economy and aligns with the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), AirTrunk added.  

The new data centre will feature AirTrunk’s cutting-edge liquid cooling technology to manage the high-density demands of AI while ensuring significant energy savings.  

JHB2 is designed to meet the highest standards of efficiency and security, with a low design Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.25 and offer multiple renewable energy options.

In line with the Johor state government’s efforts to diversify water sources, AirTrunk is exploring the use of treated greywater as a sustainable water supply for its campus operations.

AirTrunk founder and chief executive officer Robin Khuda said Malaysia’s emergence as a digital powerhouse is a privilege the company to contribute to this growth over the long term and deliver shared benefit for the locals.

He said the data centres serve as essential infrastructure that will help boost productivity and enable new products and services that can drive economic growth.  

“We are committed to helping realise the potential of cloud and AI in Malaysia and prioritising circularity for the benefit of society and the environment.

“AirTrunk is supporting local digital literacy and STEM initiatives, driving the energy transition and working to embed a sustainable water supply to make a positive impact,” he said.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said AirTrunk’s efforts in providing high-value employment, training opportunities and digital infrastructure will leave a lasting positive impact on Johor.

“We welcome the announcement from AirTrunk of further investment as well as social and environmental initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to being a responsible and positive contributor in Johor.

“Ensuring high value employment and training opportunities, like those offered by AirTrunk, alongside the economic contribution of digital infrastructure also ensures a positive legacy for Johor,” he added.

JHB2 is AirTrunk’s 12th data centre across five Asia Pacific and Japan markets – Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

It adds to the company’s hyperscale data centre platform which now offers nearly 1.8 gigawatts of total capacity.

Source: NST