Google has committed US$160 million to fund new shared water infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, alongside its planned data centre development in the state. The facilities are intended to support local community needs, strengthen water supply and help mitigate flood risks, while also serving Google’s future operations.
Working with the Negeri Sembilan State Government and Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan, Google has appointed Gamuda Berhad to build an off-river storage reservoir and water treatment plant. Once complete, the facilities will be owned by Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (Incorporated), the state statutory body responsible for managing state assets.
Water supply and flood mitigation
The treatment plant will be able to deliver 65 million litres of potable water daily. It will serve Google’s planned data centre campus at Springhill Industrial Park in Port Dickson while also expanding water supply for public use.
Located along the Linggi River, the reservoir is designed to capture excess river flow and rainfall during high-yield periods, helping reduce flood risk in surrounding flood-prone areas. During lower-yield periods, the plant can draw from stored reserves, maintaining supply without disrupting the river’s natural flow.
Google’s development in Negeri Sembilan also includes a planned data centre campus, power infrastructure upgrades and education and workforce programmes. The company said it will pay for 100% of the electricity used by its campus and the direct infrastructure costs required to connect it to the grid.
“Google’s decision to fund shared water infrastructure in Negeri Sembilan reflects our global ambition to replenish 120% of the freshwater volume we consume,” said Drew Byrnes, director and head of global infrastructure and energy, Asia-Pacific, at Google.
Clean energy skills pipeline
Google is also expanding its collaboration with SOLS Foundation to prepare young Malaysians for careers in the clean energy sector. Two initiatives will begin rolling out in Negeri Sembilan in early 2027.
The Solar Explorers and Solar Futures programme will establish a Solar and Energy Lab in participating public schools, each equipped with a 2.56-kilowatt-peak solar array and 5.4 kilowatt-hours of battery storage. Teachers will use the labs for lessons on solar technology and energy-saving habits, while secondary students will be introduced to clean energy career pathways.
Google is also funding Digital Skills for the Renewable Energy Workforce, a 36-hour training track that will become a permanent element of the SOLS Solar Academy. It will prepare young people from lower-income and Indigenous communities for roles including solar photovoltaic installation, electric vehicle charging station maintenance and energy system operations, with job placement on graduation.
Investment and local impact
Google is working with consortia led by Shizen Energy-Solarvest and TotalEnergies to add net-new clean power to Malaysia’s national grid through power purchase agreements. These agreements provide revenue certainty that can help developers finance utility-scale solar farms and expand their local workforces.
Dato’ Haji Najmuddin Sharif bin Sarimon, chief executive officer of Invest Negeri Sembilan, said Google’s campus represented an important milestone in the state’s effort to become a competitive destination for high-value digital infrastructure investment.
Google said its Port Dickson campus is being designed to be among the world’s most energy-efficient data centres. Its global data centre fleet recorded an average annual power usage effectiveness of 1.09 in 2025.
