Companies Ink Deal to Export Energy from Vietnam to Malaysia, Singapore

Feasibility study will look at transmitting power via subsea cable and then overland

- Shannon Teoh Malaysia Bureau Chief and Lu Wei Hoong

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam will jointly explore the export of renewable energy following an agreement signed by their government-linked firms on May 26 to collaborate on developing a new electricity link.

The signing was witnessed by leaders of all three countries on the sidelines of the Asean Summit chaired by Malaysia.

Under the agreement, the parties will evaluate the feasibility of Vietnam sending power - particularly offshore wind - via subsea cable to Peninsular Malaysia's north-eastern coast before it is transmitted overland to Singapore.

This represents the latest push from the regional grouping to establish an Asean Power Grid aimed at strengthening energy security and achieving net-zero emissions.

Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, told reporters after the signing ceremony that technical and business details are yet to be fully outlined.

But Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been bullish on the project, extolling its economic viability ahead of other options and telling The Straits Times and select regional media outlets in a May 25 interview that the deal was "considered done".