At ASEAN Summit, Bahlil Pushes for Cross-Regional Electricity Interconnection

At the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, accompanying President Prabowo Subianto, stated that regional energy infrastructure must provide real impacts for communities in remote, frontier, and outer regions (3T). According to Bahlil, subregional cooperation should not only focus on inter-country connectivity but also ensure equitable, reliable, and affordable electricity access even to the most remote areas. “This meeting is an initiative of subregional economic cooperation formed in 1994 to promote development in 3T areas for the four member countries,” Bahlil said on the sidelines of the forum. Bahlil noted that the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) forum serves as a crucial momentum for Indonesia to strengthen synergies in cross-regional electricity development, particularly through energy interconnection projects, rural electrification, and the development of new renewable energy. These efforts are deemed essential to improve energy access for communities in border areas and remote islands, thereby driving local economic growth. “This synergy will strengthen collaboration so that communities in remote areas can access affordable energy for better welfare,” Bahlil stated. Through active participation, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is optimistic that the foundation of cooperation among the four countries will become more solid to synergise in building energy infrastructure. This is expected not only to secure each country’s supply chain but also to accelerate Southeast Asia as a resilient and sustainable economic growth axis. Meanwhile, President Prabowo Subianto, in his speech at the summit, emphasised that BIMP-EAGA must continue to evolve to more tangibly address the needs of communities in the region. According to the President, this subregional cooperation must become more adaptive, impactful, and responsive to constantly changing global dynamics. “With that spirit, BIMP-EAGA must continue to develop. BIMP-EAGA must be more adaptive, more impactful, and more responsive to our communities’ needs,” he continued. President Prabowo also stressed that the primary priority for member countries at present is to protect the safety and livelihoods of the people. President Prabowo mentioned that the BIMP-EAGA 2035 vision has provided a clear direction, but the next challenge is to ensure tangible implementation. “Our priority is clear: protecting the safety and livelihoods of our people. The BIMP-EAGA 2035 vision has given us a clear direction. Now the task is to realise it,” the President said. Furthermore, Prabowo emphasised the importance of strengthening subregional connectivity, including increasing the capacity of the Trans Borneo Power Grid network so that energy distribution can run more efficiently in the region. The President assessed that all these agendas require financing support, technical expertise, and closer partnerships with regional development partners. “All this will not happen without the right support. We need to secure funding, mobilise technical expertise, and deepen partnerships with our regional advisors and Development Partners,” he asserted. From Cebu, President Prabowo also sent a message that regional solidarity and cooperation are the main keys for ASEAN to remain resilient in facing increasingly complex global dynamics.