Short answer: LSS6 offers 2.65 GW of solar, most of it paired with battery storage, with full commercial operation required by the end of 2029. For the structure, EPCs should price a design to the site’s MS 1553 wind speed, foundations for soft or peat soils, galvanizing or ZAM coating suited to humid tropical sites, raised clearances on flood-prone land, and a document set of layout, calculation, bill of materials and coating records.
Structures are a small share of a project’s cost, but they decide piling time, flood resilience and long-term corrosion. Getting a comparable, documented structure quote early makes the bid price more reliable.
Key numbers
- LSS6, launched July 2026: 2.65 GW of solar and 1.25 GW of battery storage in three packages, with bids of 60–500 MW for the main packages and full commercial operation by 31 December 2029.
- LSS5 (awarded from December 2024) covered 2 GW, including a 500 MWac project in Kedah, the largest LSS award to date; LSS5+ (September 2025) shortlisted 13 developers for a further 2 GW.
- A typical fixed-tilt structure uses 30–45 tonnes of steel per MWp; a 300 MW project needs roughly 9,000–13,500 tonnes, several hundred containers.
1. Wind: design to MS 1553
Peninsular Malaysia is outside the typhoon belt, but thunderstorm gusts are strong and open, flat sites fall into exposed terrain categories. Specify the basic wind speed and terrain category for each site under MS 1553, and ask the supplier to state the governing load case and the pile uplift in the calculation. Edge rows and corners carry higher pressure than interior rows.
2. Soil and foundations
| Ground | Typical foundation | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Firm residual soil | Driven steel piles or screw piles | Pull-out tests before final design |
| Soft alluvial clay | Longer driven piles, PHC piles | Settlement and lateral capacity |
| Peat | Long piles through peat to firm layer | Corrosive, acidic ground; coating on buried steel |
| Former plantation land | Driven or screw piles | Old root systems and uneven fill |
Run pile load tests early: they change pile length and therefore tonnage, which is the largest variable in the structure price. See our steel per MW guide.
3. Flooding and clearance
Many low-lying sites flood in the northeast monsoon. Set the lowest module edge above the design flood level with a margin, keep inverters and combiner boxes on raised plinths, and check that piles and bracing tolerate standing water. Higher clearance means longer posts and more steel, so it belongs in the bid design, not as a change later.
4. Corrosion
- Inland sites: typically C3; hot-dip galvanizing to ISO 1461 for posts, ZAM-coated profiles for rails and purlins.
- Coastal and peat sites: C4 or aggressive soil; heavier coating on piles and buried sections, stainless fasteners near the sea.
- Ask for coating thickness records per batch, not only a certificate. Our material comparison explains the choice.
5. Schedule and logistics
With commercial operation due by the end of 2029 and many projects building at once, structure supply and piling capacity become critical-path items. Ask suppliers for packing by table and row, delivery sequenced to the piling plan, and the ability to supply in phases. Port of Klang, Penang and Johor all receive steel shipments; confirm the port nearest the site.
6. The document set to request with every structure quote
| Document | Why |
|---|---|
| Layout drawing and table configuration | Confirms MWp per table and the number of tables |
| Structural calculation to MS 1553 | Shows wind speed, terrain, governing load case and pile forces |
| Bill of materials with weight per table | Lets you compare tonnage and check the price |
| Steel mill certificates and grade | Confirms S355/Q355 or the grade designed for |
| Galvanizing or ZAM coating records | Confirms corrosion protection for 25 years |
| Installation manual and torque table | Speeds up installation and quality control |
FAQ
When does LSS6 close and when are awards expected?
The tender was launched in July 2026; analysts expect it to close in October 2026, with shortlisted bidders in the first half of 2027 and full commercial operation by the end of 2029.
Which wind code applies to PV structures in Malaysia?
MS 1553, the Malaysian code of practice on wind loading, with the site’s basic wind speed and terrain category.
How much steel does a Malaysian LSS project need?
About 30–45 tonnes per MWp for fixed tilt, more with long piles in soft or peat soils.
Galvanized or ZAM for Malaysian solar farms?
Hot-dip galvanized posts and piles, ZAM-coated rails and purlins, with heavier protection on coastal and peat sites.
How we help
We supply fixed-tilt ground-mount structures for Malaysian projects, designed to MS 1553 for each site, with the full document set and quotations stated line by line so they can go straight into an LSS bid. Send us the site location, capacity and soil data.
Sources: Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) LSS6 announcement, July 2026, as reported by SolarQuarter, Energy-Storage.News and Business Today; Orrick APAC Energy Pulse, September 2026; Kenanga Research on LSS5 winners (December 2024) and The Edge on LSS5+ (September 2025); MS 1553 wind loading; ISO 1461. Engineering guidance is our own. Related: ground-mount structures.