S'pore eyes linking up with ASEAN grid

S'pore eyes linking up with ASEAN grid

The city-state plans is looking to be among the ASEAN countries linking up to a common power grid providing access to cheaper and cleaner power resources, it was reported on Monday.

When ready in 2020, the power grid will enable countries like Indonesia to supply power more cheaply with its abundance of coal and natural gas, Tjarinto, finance manager for the ASEAN Center for Energy, told The Straits Times.

ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, groups Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma).

The plan to build a trans-ASEAN gas pipeline as well as a power grid in Kuala Lumpur is also expected to be ready in 18 years' time, Tjarinto said.

He estimated the entire power grid would cost about US$17 billion and said 14 different projects among the 10 ASEAN members are under way.

Singapore Power also said the Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities have formed a committee to look into connecting all electricity grids of member countries.

Singapore shares an electricity power line with Malaysia to exchange electricity during times of emergency.

"Our prediction is that natural gas can supply energy to all of ASEAN for about 30 years, but coal can supply energy for 300 years to the whole of ASEAN," Tjarinto was quoted as saying.

The Indonesian province of Sumatra has an abundance of coal, he noted.

"Natural gas is cleaner than coal, but in terms of price, coal is cheaper than gas," he added.--DPA