SINGAPORE โ The state government of Sarawak has announced an ambitious target to commence exports of one gigawatt of renewable electricity to Singapore by the year 2032. This significant cross-border power initiative is contingent upon the full completion of a dedicated submarine transmission cable.
Sarawak’s Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, confirmed the timeline, revealing that the undersea link’s construction will be managed by a financial consortium with interests from both Malaysia and Singapore. He described the venture as a pioneering effort for the Asia-Pacific region.
“This is a rather unusual project, the first of its kind in this region, because it involves transmitting energy from Sarawak via a subsea cable,” the Premier stated. He further clarified that the cable’s development would be financed by the consortium’s financial institutions, representing a collaborative investment.
The Premier’s remarks were made on Monday following his keynote address at the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2025 summit, held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands. He indicated that discussions with Singaporean ministerial counterparts had progressed positively, with technical issues raised by Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) staff now resolved.
This project is poised to become one of the most substantial energy infrastructure undertakings in Southeast Asia. The Premier expressed strong confidence in its success, suggesting it could establish a new precedent for regional energy cooperation. He believes Sarawak is positioned to play a critical part in supplying power across the ASEAN bloc.
In a recent development that underpins this initiative, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) of Singapore granted Conditional Approval to the Sarawak-Singapore Power Grid Connection Project on 17 October. This approval is a vital milestone, indicating the project has passed an initial assessment for technical and commercial viability.
The CA status allows the project to advance to subsequent phases, where it will seek the necessary regulatory clearances and licences for further development. This step is widely seen as reinforcing regional energy security and fostering deeper economic integration between the neighbouring nations, aligning with the broader spirit of ASEAN cooperation.
Beyond the Singapore export plan, the state is actively pursuing its role as a regional energy hub. The Premier reaffirmed Sarawak’s commitment to realising the long-envisaged ASEAN Power Grid by sharing its surplus renewable resources. Sarawak currently engages in energy sharing with West Kalimantan and is advancing plans for grid interconnections with Sabah and Brunei Darussalam.
Furthermore, SEB is making strategic investments in energy projects in East Kalimantan. “With the grid network we are developing, we will be the heart of energy production throughout the Borneo Islands,” the Premier added, outlining a vision for a connected Bornean power network.
To support these expansive goals, Sarawak is dedicated to scaling up its generation capacity through clean sources. The state’s strategy focuses on harnessing hydroelectric, solar, and biomass power. The official target is to achieve an energy generation capacity ofย 10GW by 2030, with a further expansion toย 15GW by 2035.
