ASEAN Reaffirms Commitment To Regional Energy Interconnection, Targets Power Grid By 2045

By Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- ASEAN foreign ministers have reaffirmed their collective commitment to enhancing regional energy interconnectivity, including by accelerating the development of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and other strategic energy initiatives.

In the Joint Communique issued today following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Wednesday (July 9), the ministers underscored the importance of advancing a secure, resilient, and interconnected low-carbon regional energy future.

“We reaffirmed our commitment to enhance energy interconnection, including by accelerating the establishment of the APG, as well as through the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS),” it said.

The ministers welcomed the decision of the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting to realise the APG by 2045 and looked forward to the signing of the Enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on APG and the endorsement of the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Subsea Power Cables Development Framework by this year.

The meeting also noted the significant progress made through the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) and acknowledged ongoing discussions related to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Power Integration Project (BIMP-PIP).

The 58th AMM and related meetings - held from July 8 under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship themed 'Inclusivity and Sustainability' - concluded at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here Friday.

-- BERNAMA