TNB, SESB and Sarawak Energy Electricity Accounts: Why Three Companies, Three Different Processes

You’ve got the keys to your new home, but the light switch does nothing. The meter outside is still spinning under the previous owner’s name — and until that account changes names, every kilowatt you use is technically still hanging off someone else’s liability. Many people assume “call TNB” is enough to sort this out. In Peninsular Malaysia, yes. In Sabah and Sarawak, that’s entirely the wrong phone number.

Three companies, not one national system

Electricity supply in Malaysia is not run by a single body. Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) serves Peninsular Malaysia through the myTNB portal and the Kedai Tenaga outlet network. Sabah, meanwhile, belongs to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), and Sarawak to Sarawak Energy Berhad. All three operate separately, with their own application forms, deposit rates and even their own terminology — so a Google search for “how to apply for electricity” that only turns up TNB guides isn’t much help if the house is in Kota Kinabalu or Kuching.

New premises versus transferring an existing account

Before filling in any form, first work out the application category — because it determines whether an electrical contractor needs to be appointed:

Situation	Process	Contractor required?
New premises / never had a meter before	New supply application	Yes — a registered electrical contractor (or a consulting engineer for large loads)
Existing premises, TNB cabling & meter still working, no wiring modifications	Change of Tenancy (account name transfer)	No — apply directly
Rented home / home bought from the previous owner	Change of Tenancy	No, if the existing installation is in good condition

According to TNB’s official site, “Tenancy Change is the opening of a new account by a customer moving into an existing premises with completed electrical installation.” This is the most common route for tenants or homebuyers — no wiring work, so no contractor, just a form, a copy of the identity card (stamped “For TNB Purpose Only”), and a certified tenancy agreement/title deed.

For SESB, the same kind of documents are required — a copy of the MyKad, Sale and Purchase Agreement/Land Title/Tenancy Agreement or Letter of Offer — and the applicant must complete the Domestic or Non-Domestic Application Form before a registered contractor submits it to the SESB office along with Form G and Form H.

Deposit: same formula, different amounts by company and premises

All three companies charge a security deposit — not an electricity payment, but collateral against outstanding liability when the account is eventually closed.

TNB calculates the deposit based on an estimated two months’ consumption, taken from the average of the six most recent months’ consumption at that premises. A cash deposit earns interest of 2.5% per year, credited to the account once a year; if the deposit amount exceeds RM2,000, the customer may choose a bank guarantee instead of cash. For a Change of Tenancy application, the additional charges levied are a RM10 stamp duty and a RM3.00 processing fee (low voltage) or RM80.00 (medium/high voltage).

SESB uses a similar principle but a different calculation method depending on the type of application: for a new account, the deposit is calculated based on the Maximum Demand (kW) declared by the contractor on Form PD-9; for an existing account under review, the formula is the same as TNB’s — two months of the average of six months’ actual consumption. SESB’s stamp duty is RM12 (including a RM2 administrative fee).

Sarawak Energy publishes a fixed deposit rate schedule by premises category, rather than a consumption formula. Some examples from the official schedule:

Premises type	Owner (single-phase / three-phase)	Tenant (single-phase / three-phase)
Terrace house	RM350 / RM700	RM700 / RM1,400
Semi-detached house	RM550 / RM1,100	RM1,100 / RM2,200
Village house / longhouse	RM100 / RM200	RM200 / RM400
Rural low-cost house	RM180 (single-phase only)	RM360 (single-phase only)

A consistent pattern: the tenant rate is almost always double the owner rate for the same category. If the estimated deposit exceeds RM5,000, Sarawak Energy allows a bank guarantee in place of a cash deposit.

None of the three companies publishes a single RM figure for the whole country — the actual amount always depends on location, premises category and (for TNB/SESB) actual consumption history.

Why the meter reading on key handover day matters

The meter reading on the day the keys are handed over isn’t just a personal record — it’s the official dividing line between the previous owner’s/tenant’s liability and yours. TNB confirms this process during account closure: an officer takes a final reading when the old account is terminated, and the balance of the old deposit is refunded according to the formula Refund = Deposit – Final Charges (if any), processed within one month via bank transfer, cheque, or transfer to another active account.

For existing account holders, TNB also offers Self Meter Reading (SMR) — the customer submits their own reading via the myTNB app or portal when the submission window opens (notified via SMS/push notification). A reading must be submitted every month except April, August and December, when TNB itself takes the reading for calibration purposes. If a reading is not submitted within the set window, the bill defaults to an estimate; and if a customer fails to submit a reading for two consecutive months, TNB automatically terminates that account’s SMR eligibility.

Common mistakes

• Not photographing the meter reading on key handover day. Without this record, it’s hard to prove consumption before and after you occupied the premises if a billing dispute arises.
• Continuing to use the previous owner’s/tenant’s name without doing a Change of Tenancy. An account that isn’t renamed means the billing liability is still officially hanging on the previous name — not yours.
• Assuming deposit rates are the same nationwide. TNB’s and SESB’s formulas are based on actual consumption; Sarawak Energy instead uses a fixed rate schedule by premises category — the three cannot be equated.
• Submitting a plain photocopy instead of a copy stamped “For TNB Purpose Only” or equivalent. All three companies specify a particular way of preparing the identity card copy.
• Missing the Self Meter Reading submission window. The bill falls to an estimate, and if it recurs for two consecutive months, SMR eligibility is withdrawn entirely.

What’s next

Electricity is only one of several things that need to be sorted out when moving into a new home in Malaysia — see first steps moving to Malaysia for the other related requirements. For those who also need to set up a mobile line at the new premises, see the prepaid and postpaid SIM guide.