Pertamina Calls for ASEAN Collaboration to Accelerate Regional Power Grid Integration

DENPASAR — Integration of electricity networks through the ASEAN Power Grid could strengthen energy cooperation and support the clean-energy transition in Southeast Asia. PT Pertamina New & Renewable Energy (PNRE) is encouraging collaboration among countries to prepare infrastructure, align regulations and improve workforce readiness.

PNRE chief executive John Anis said the ASEAN Power Grid had long been discussed as an effort to connect electricity systems across the region so countries could exchange energy.

He said bringing the initiative to fruition would require cross-border cooperation, particularly to build infrastructure and align the rules in force in each country.

“As well as the infrastructure that needs to be built, there must also be legal and regulatory frameworks. The rules differ from one country to another, so they will need to be aligned,” John said on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Council on Petroleum and Energy (ASCOPE) event at The Meru Sanur in Bali on Tuesday (27 October 2026).

John said ASCOPE, through its Clean Energy Task Force, was seeking to contribute to regulatory alignment in support of the ASEAN Power Grid’s implementation. The collaboration is expected to strengthen member countries’ readiness to achieve regional power-grid integration.

Alongside infrastructure and regulation, workforce readiness is also an important factor in supporting clean-energy development and electricity connectivity between countries.

By integrating their electricity networks, ASEAN countries are expected to expand opportunities for energy cooperation while creating added value for regional industry and economies.

The push for the ASEAN Power Grid is part of wider efforts to strengthen regional collaboration on energy development. Policy alignment, infrastructure construction and workforce capacity-building are expected to provide the foundations for implementing electricity integration in Southeast Asia.