S'pore to import electricity from M'sia in 2-year trial

To further diversify Singapore’s energy supply.

Ashley Tan | October 26, 2020, 11:11 AM

Singapore will be importing electricity from Malaysia as part of plans to diversify the country's energy supply.

Tapping on cleaner energy

In a release by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) on Oct. 26, it was announced that these electricity imports are part of a two-year trial, which aims to "assess and refine the technical and regulatory frameworks" for importing electricity here.

According to EMA, this change will allow Singapore to tap on regional power grids for cleaner energy resources.

Changing the way Singapore produces and uses energy will help meet the country's climate change commitments, EMA stated.

EMA stated that they plan to issue a Request for Proposal in Mar. 2021, for 100 megawatts of electricity imports.

This 100MW will make up around 1.5 per cent of Singapore's peak electricity demand.

With the proposal, Singapore could begin importing electricity from Malaysia from as early as end-2021.

The electricity would be imported via an existing electricity interconnector between the two countries.

One of Singapore's four switches

An electricity importer will be selected through an "open and competitive" selection process.

EMA said:

"Potential importers will have to demonstrate their supply reliability, credibility and track record, ability to secure demand from Singapore consumers, and manage the carbon output of generation supply."

Regional power grids, achieved through bilateral cooperation or regional initiatives with other countries, are one of Singapore's four "switches" which make up our energy supply.

The other three switches are natural gas, solar, and "emerging low-carbon alternatives" such as carbon-capture technologies and hydrogen.

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Top photo from Meowlody / Flickr