Debated in Parliament on 2 Aug 2022.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Trade and Industry with regard to the import of renewable energy from Laos (a) what are the targets under the trial for the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP); (b) whether Singapore will contribute to Laotian development of renewable energy to ensure energy resiliency for Singapore; (c) if so, how; and (d) whether Singapore will consider foreign direct investment in Laos to help with the maturity of the sector.
Under the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), Singapore is importing up to 100 megawatts of renewable energy from existing hydropower plants in Lao PDR for a two-year period. The goal of the LTMS-PIP is to study the feasibility of cross-border power trade from Lao PDR to Singapore, through Thailand and Malaysia, using existing interconnections. This is to serve as a pathfinder to the ASEAN Power Grid to promote multi-lateral electricity trading in the region.
Since the LTMS-PIP commenced on 23 June and until 28 July 2022, the flow of electricity from Lao PDR to Singapore has been steady and there has been active electricity trading. The electricity traded during this period was around 65,500 megawatt-hour, which met the electricity demand of around 140,000 households over the same period. This shows that it is feasible for electricity to be traded across long distances, and that it is possible for the region to collaborate on cross-border electricity trading which will help to accelerate regional decarbonisation.
The LTMS-PIP is the first cross-border power trading project that Singapore is embarking on to import low-carbon electricity. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) will monitor its operations to assess and refine the technical and regulatory frameworks for importing large-scale low-carbon electricity into Singapore.
Lao PDR has abundant resources for clean energy. Besides the LTMS-PIP project, the EMA also hopes to access low-carbon electricity through other projects from Lao PDR and other countries in the ongoing Request for Proposal (RFP) to import up to four gigawatts of low-carbon electricity by 2035. With commitment of off-take and revenue from electricity trade, these projects will help draw foreign direct investments into renewable energy sector in the region. Cross-border electricity trading projects and the development of a regional grid will support regional decarbonisation efforts and provide economic opportunities for our regional neighbours that can supply such electricity.
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