Editing Penang (section)

==Utilities==
Water supply, which comes under the jurisdiction of the [[Government of Penang|Penang state government]], is wholly managed by the [[Penang Water Supply Corporation]] (PBAPP). The state enjoys the lowest domestic [[water tariff]] in Malaysia, at RM0.32 (US${{To USD|0.32|MYS|year=2021}}) per 1,000 litres, but also records the highest domestic water consumption per capita in Malaysia at {{cvt|278|L}} in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 April 2017 |title=Home Users the Main Guzzlers |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/04/28/home-users-the-main-guzzlers-ceo-domestic-water-usage-in-penang-higher-than-industries/ |access-date=28 April 2017 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=Jun 2020 |title=Penang Green Agenda 2030: Water and Sanitation |url=https://www.pgc.com.my/2020/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9_PGA-Sectoral-Formatted-Final-Report_WAS.pdf |journal=Penang Green Council }}</ref> Over 80% of Penang's water supply comes from the [[Muda River]], which forms the northern border between [[Seberang Perai]] and [[Kedah]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Raw Water Risks |url=https://pba.com.my/raw-water-risks/ |access-date=10 December 2023 |website=[[Penang Water Supply Corporation]] |language=en-US }}</ref> This leaves the state vulnerable to effluents from upstream Kedah, as well as constant political disputes between the neighbouring states over the river.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 October 2023 |title=Water crisis: Penang Water Supply Corporation to Present Sg Muda Crisis Management Plan to State Govt |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/04/water-crisis-penang-water-supply-corporation-to-present-sg-muda-crisis-management-plan-to-state-govt/94397 |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lopez |first=Leslie |date=9 April 2021 |title=Murky Politics as Two Malaysian States - Penang and Kedah - Clash over Water |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/murky-politics-as-two-malaysian-states-penang-and-kedah-clash-over-water |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=[[The Straits Times]] }}</ref> To counter water supply disruptions, PBAPP has contingency plans in place to draw water from alternative sources such as the [[Ayer Itam Dam|Ayer Itam]], [[Teluk Bahang Dam|Teluk Bahang]] and [[Mengkuang Dam|Mengkuang]] dams.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moroter |first=Tanushalini |date=15 August 2023 |title=Rainy Season Boosts Penang Water Reserves |url=https://www.buletinmutiara.com/rainy-season-boosts-penang-water-reserves/ |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=Buletin Mutiara }}</ref> The state government has also been negotiating with neighbouring [[Perak]] to secure additional water supply.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=8 November 2023 |title=Penang Considers Taking Treated Water from Perak, Discussions on Water Transfer Scheme Continues |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/08/penang-considers-taking-treated-water-from-perak-discussions-on-water-transfer-scheme-continues/100974 |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref>

In 1904, [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] became the first city within [[British Malaya]] to be supplied with electricity.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://ofa.arkib.gov.my/lores/hq/digitdoc_10/20060029105d02.pdf |title=Federation of Malaya: The First Annual Report of the Central Electricity Board 1 Sept. 1949 - 31 August 1950 |publisher=[[Federation of Malaya]] |year=1951 |page=1 |via=[[National Archives of Malaysia]] }}</ref> At present, electricity for industrial and domestic consumption is provided by [[Tenaga Nasional]] (TNB). In 2024, TNB built a RM500 million (US${{To USD|500|MYS|year=2021}} million) overhead power grid comprising 31 [[High-voltage direct current#Monopole|monopole]] [[Transmission tower|transmission towers]] across the [[Penang Strait]], boosting power transmission to George Town to 2,000 MW.<ref name="The Star-2022a">{{Cite news |date=21 June 2022 |title=RM500mil Project to Boost Power Supply to Penang |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2022/06/21/rm500mil-project-to-boost-power-supply-to-penang |access-date=29 December 2023 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref><ref name="The Star-2022b">{{Cite news |date=14 October 2022 |title=Penang Supply Booster Project to Develop National Grid |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2022/10/14/penang-supply-booster-project-to-develop-national-grid |access-date=29 December 2023 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=14 June 2024 |title=TNB's Landmark Monopole Transmission Towers Parallel with Penang Bridge to be Completed in November |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/06/14/tnbs-landmark-monopole-transmission-towers-parallel-with-penang-bridge-to-be-completed-in-november/139746 |access-date=1 January 2025 |work=[[Malay Mail]]}}</ref> Collaboration between TNB and the two city governments in Penang to replace existing street lighting with energy-efficient [[LED street light]]s is ongoing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ong |first=K. H. |date=13 February 2023 |title=Penang Island Completes Converting over 33,000 Streetlights to LEDs, State Govt to Seek Incentives from Ministry |url=https://www.buletinmutiara.com/penang-island-completes-changing-over-33000-streetlights-to-leds-state-govt-to-seek-incentives-from-ministry/ |access-date=29 December 2023 |work=Buletin Mutiara }}</ref>

[[Municipal solid waste]] is disposed at the Pulau Burung landfill in Seberang Perai.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sinnappan |first=Arulldas |date=19 April 2022 |title=MBSP to temporarily take over management of Pulau Burung landfill |url=https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/58956/mbsp-to-temporarily-take-over-management-of-pulau-burung-landfill |access-date=1 May 2024 |work=The Vibes }}</ref> The amount of solid waste generated in Penang has been steadily increasing over the years, from 838,365 metric tons in 2009 to 1,518,010 metric tons in 2019, with an average increase of 6.5%.<ref name="Penang report 2020">{{Cite journal |date=Aug 2020 |title=Penang Economic and Development Report 2019/2020 |url=https://penanginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Chapter-4-Penang-Economic-and-Development-Report-2020-final-preview-pages-177-185.pdf |journal=[[Government of Penang|Penang state government]] }}</ref> However, Penang boasts the highest recycling rate in the country, standing at 47% {{As of|2019|lc=y}}.<ref name="Penang report 2020" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=26 July 2019 |title=Penang hits 42pc in recycling, double national rate |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/07/26/penang-hits-42pc-in-recycling-double-national-rate/1774981 |access-date=1 May 2024 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref> To streamline the waste management process, the two city governments reintroduced a [[waste sorting]] policy in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 December 2023 |title=Penang to reintroduce Waste Segregation at Source Policy in July next year, says state exco |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/19/penang-to-reintroduce-waste-segregation-at-source-policy-in-july-next-year-says-state-exco/108320 |access-date=1 May 2024 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref>

In 2020, Penang had become the first Malaysian state to require the installation of [[Fiber-optic communication|fibre-optic communication infrastructure]] for all development projects.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 December 2020 |title=Penang First State to Install Fibre Optic Infrastructure as Basic Utility, Says Committee Chairman |url=https://www.ncer.com.my/media-centre/news/penang-first-state-to-install-fibre-optic-infrastructure-as-basic-utility-says-committee-chairman/,%20https://www.ncer.com.my/media-centre/news/penang-first-state-to-install-fibre-optic-infrastructure-as-basic-utility-says-committee-chairman/ |access-date=29 December 2023 |website=[[Northern Corridor Economic Region]] |language=en-US |archive-date=16 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316153626/https://www.ncer.com.my/media-centre/news/penang-first-state-to-install-fibre-optic-infrastructure-as-basic-utility-says-committee-chairman/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{As of|2023|September}}, [[5G]] coverage had reached 73.4% of the populated areas in the state.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 November 2023 |title=Penang 5G Coverage Stands at 73.4pc as of September 2023, Says State Exco |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/11/23/penang-5g-coverage-stands-at-734pc-as-of-september-2023-says-state-exco/103775 |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref> In 2024, [[DE-CIX]] inaugurated the Penang Internet Exchange (PIX), with internet traffic being routed through a [[Data center|data centre]] at [[Bayan Baru]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=5 January 2024 |title=DE-CIX Partners Digital Penang to Launch PIX as Central Hub for Data Exchange |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2024/01/05/de-cix-partners-digital-penang-to-launch-pix-as-central-hub-for-data-exchange/110771 |access-date=7 January 2024 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Where to Connect |url=https://www.de-cix.net/en/services/where-to-connect#Location_Penang |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=[[DE-CIX]] |language=en }}</ref> State government agencies have been promoting the [[digital economy]] and intensifying efforts to attract high-value [[Technology company|technology players]] to further boost the state's economic growth.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McIntyre |first=Ian |date=26 February 2022 |title=Penang Launches Creative Digital District to Lure Tech Companies |url=https://www.thevibes.com/articles/business/55085/penang-launches-creative-digital-district-to-lure-tech-companies |access-date=10 December 2023 |work=The Vibes }}</ref>