Massive investments needed for ASEAN Power Grid

In the quest to material-ize the great regional grid interlink across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is projecting around $16 billion (approximately P890 billion) worth of investments to pursue the development of key interconnections.

- By GABRIELL CHRISTEL GALANG

During a media briefing on Tuesday, June 3, Keiju Mitsuhashi, energy director at the ADB, explained that various studies provide budget estimates, including findings from the ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), which reviewed the ASEAN Power Grid master plan, and the Department of Energy (DOE), which assessed feasible investments for the Philippine grid.

“We're looking at, for now, [there are] 18 interconnectors in ASEAN. The estimates have been produced to be up to about $16 billion for this,” he told reporters alongside other ADB officials—director general Winfried Wicklein and Pavit Ramachandran, the ADB’s Philippines country director.