Powering Up ASEAN

Momentum for the APG is strong, with continuous adaptation to new opportunities and challenges:

• LTMS-PIP Expansion: The Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project saw its capacity double from 100 MW to 200 MW in September 2024, reinforcing the viability of multilateral electricity trade.
• Expanding Interconnections: Singapore is advancing its goal to import up to 6 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035. As part of this, projects to import up to 3 GW from Indonesia have received conditional licenses, with one specific project aiming to supply 1 GW initially from Riau Islands’ solar projects, targeting commercial operations from 2029. There’s also growing exploration of new bilateral links, such as those between Singapore and Vietnam or Cambodia, and expanded Laos-Vietnam connections.
• BIMP-PIP Progress: The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Power Integration Project continues its development, with feasibility studies for initial capacities around 100 MW expected by 2025.
• Evolving APG Framework: The original APG Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been extended to 2025 while a more comprehensive successor agreement is developed. Key priorities for this new framework include discussions around a potential regional coordinating body, the development of regional Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) markets, and a transparent methodology for regional wheeling charges.
• International Cooperation & Capacity Building: Collaboration is key. For instance, Singapore and the IEA are actively working on capacity-building initiatives, including regional training programs, supported by the IEA’s Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore, to advance the APG vision.
• Accommodating Future Fuels: The APG infrastructure and regulatory frameworks will also need to adapt to emerging low-carbon technologies such as green hydrogen/ammonia and Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS), which are increasingly part of national energy transition plans. Vietnam’s revised Law on Electricity, effective February 2025, already includes provisions for these new energy carriers.

While challenges in financing, regulatory harmonization, and technical integration remain, the APG is undeniably advancing. Future projects involving marine/undersea cables and new inland interconnections will further knit the region’s energy systems together.

The ASEAN Power Grid is more than an infrastructure project; it’s a shared commitment to a resilient, interconnected, sustainable, and equitable energy future that will power ASEAN’s prosperity for generations.