ASEAN leaders and IEA call for concrete action on regional power grid

ASEAN leaders and the International Energy Agency (IEA) are calling for the accelerated implementation of the ASEAN Power Grid to enhance regional energy security and support the transition to renewable energy.

Speaking at the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof emphasized that the regional grid should be viewed as a strategic network rather than mere infrastructure. He noted that the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project serves as evidence that multilateral electricity trading is achievable within the region. Fadillah highlighted that such a network provides flexibility and resilience during energy disruptions.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol stated that electricity demand in ASEAN is growing twice as fast as total energy demand, driven by industrial electrification, air conditioning needs, electric vehicles, and data centers. Birol described the ASEAN Power Grid as a project of critical importance, equating the necessity of electricity interconnection to food and water security for the region's modern, competitive, and clean economic future.