By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 19: The Asean Power Grid (APG) initiative is entering a more aggressive and strategic phase, marked by the rollout of major cross-border and inter-regional energy connectivity projects, including landmark grid connections from Sarawak to Singapore and Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia.
In a TVS news report, Asean Centre for Energy (ACE) Governing Council executive director Datuk Razib Dawood said that the APG’s current implementation is anchored on two key components, namely the upgrading of existing infrastructure and the development of new interconnection projects as announced by Asean member states.
“We have two main groups. One involves Malaysia upgrading existing assets with Thailand, while the other includes the completion of the first phase of the grid upgrade between Malaysia and Singapore,” he said following the conclusion of the 43rd Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) on Wednesday (June 18).
Razib emphasised that the focus has now shifted to several large-scale new initiatives, such as the Sarawak-Singapore and Sarawak-Peninsular Malaysia grid connections, alongside planned links between Malaysia and Sumatra (Indonesia), as well as from Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
“These projects reflect a comprehensive approach toward achieving a more sustainable and integrated regional power grid, in line with Asean’s efforts to accelerate the clean energy transition,” he explained.
He added that the APG is also expanding its reach into the Greater Mekong subregion, with bilateral connections involving Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia currently being planned and discussed.
“The ACE Governing Council has identified 18 interconnection projects across member countries so far — and this number is expected to rise over time.
“What matters most now is how we can accelerate implementation so that the economic and social benefits can be realised sooner,” Razib stated.
He highlighted that the APG is not only a key driver for decarbonisation and electrification but also a critical enabler of regional economic growth, job creation, and expanded access to electricity across Asean.
“This is a massive, transformative project. But with mutual cooperation and benefit-sharing among member states, the people of Asean — including future generations — stand to gain immensely.
“It is a noble effort for the long-term prosperity of our region,” he concluded.
With a clear direction and stronger regional collaboration, the Asean Power Grid is poised to become the backbone of shared energy infrastructure as the region prepares to tackle global energy challenges ahead. — DayakDaily
