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Singapore taps subsea interconnectors for electricity imports
3/12/2025
8 min read
Feature
The insular city-state of Singapore is tapping the huge potential offered by subsea electricity connectors to access abundant renewable energy resources in its region. This wealthy country of six million people extends over just 735 km2 of land and has an average GDP per head of $90,600. The country needs to import electricity and wants to diversify its energy supply while supporting regional decarbonisation, writes Bernadette Lee.
The Singapore government has set a target of 6 GW of electricity imports by 2035, equivalent to around one-third of the country’s projected electricity demand. That is up from just 0.52% from January–May 2025, according to Reuters, citing Singapore Energy Market Company data.
This expansion of imports has been inspired by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) energy ministers, who in September 2024 unanimously agreed to develop a framework that would realise an integrated ASEAN power grid by 2045. This, estimates ASEAN, will cost $764bn in investment for both transmission and power generation with high levels of renewable energy.
The grid will focus on regional cross-border connectors, also addressing the critical need for domestic grid network upgrades and the development of subsea power cables.