Substation fire causes widespread power outage across parts of Johor Bahru, Malaysia

What happened

A fire broke out at a substation in Kangkar Tebrau, Johor Bahru, at about 6.03pm on 16 October 2026, according to a statement posted by Net Energy (Guoneng) on its Facebook page. The source reports a sudden power outage across several districts of Johor Bahru. Residents in Skudai and Kulai reportedly experienced unstable power. Net Energy's technical team reached the site and began emergency repairs. Power was gradually restored in some affected areas.

The Johor state fire and rescue department sent eight personnel and one fire engine to the scene, and firefighting was still under way when the report was published. No casualties had been reported. Net Energy apologised for the inconvenience to customers.

Contributing factors

The source does not state the cause of the fire or the equipment involved.

Lessons learned

1. A fire at a single substation can interrupt supply across several districts, so operators should map load transfer options and isolation points to limit the number of customers affected.
2. Early, regular updates through official channels help customers understand restoration progress during a prolonged outage.
3. Fire crews attending energised electrical plant need clear coordination with the network operator on isolation before firefighting begins.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, outages, backup supply and restoration, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Source

orientaldaily.com.my