TNB president highlights cross-border power projects as vital for ASEAN’s energy transition, citing Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore and potential Vietnam links.
KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) will remain a critical enabler for ASEAN’s shared energy transition through the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative.
Speaking at COP30, TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Megat Jalaluddin Megat Hassan cited the Laos–Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore power integration project as a feasible example.
“Practical cooperation, trusted interconnections and scalable initiatives such as the Laos–Thailand Malaysia–Singapore power integration project demonstrate that multilateral power trade in ASEAN is both feasible and impactful,” he said.
Another emerging area discussed was the potential Vietnam–Malaysia–Singapore interconnection for renewable energy.
This initiative involves discussions among utilities including TNB, PETRONAS, Sembcorp and Petrovietnam to assess feasibility.
Both projects support the broader APG vision to enable cross-border electricity trade and shared access to renewable resources.
Megat Jalaluddin emphasised starting with pilot projects and strengthening regulatory frameworks to move from planning to implementation.
As ASEAN chair in 2025, Malaysia continues to play a convening role to accelerate progress towards a more interconnected regional power system.
He said strengthening interconnection and building trust among ASEAN partners are essential for collective progress.
The region should identify steps to harmonise grid infrastructure and technical standards to facilitate clean energy flow.
Megat Jalaluddin also stressed the importance of strengthening intergovernmental dialogue to align policy with technological readiness.
The region should explore practical pathways to expand multilateral resource-sharing frameworks.
On domestic priorities, he referred to Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) as the country’s guiding framework.
NETR is a strategic plan launched in 2023 to shift the country from fossil fuels to a green economy by 2050.
TNB’s three main goals are to increase grid-based generation, ensure grid flexibility, and empower customers in the net-zero transition.
“With all that, we are hopeful of achieving our goal by 2050,” he said.
The Malaysia Pavilion at COP30 represented the country’s commitment to accelerating climate action and strengthening regional cooperation.
TNB also supports efforts to highlight Malaysia’s energy transition journey, including grid modernisation and renewable energy integration.
