EMA Approves 900 MW Power Imports from Malaysia to Strengthen Singapore’s Clean Energy Supply

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has granted Conditional Approvals to two companies to import a combined 900 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore. The electricity will be generated through solar power projects supported by battery energy storage systems in Johor, Malaysia.

Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd has received approval for a proposed 300 MW electricity import project, while Southern Solar Alliance Pte Ltd has received approval for 600 MW. Southern Solar Alliance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysian renewable energy developer Ditrolic Energy Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Both companies are targeting commercial operations around 2029. However, the projects must complete several key requirements before reaching financial close. These include obtaining regulatory approvals from the relevant authorities in Singapore and Malaysia, securing power purchase agreements with electricity buyers, arranging project financing and completing other development milestones.

The latest approvals strengthen the growing energy cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia. They follow Singapore’s earlier Conditional Approval for the import of 1 GW of low-carbon electricity from Sarawak. Singapore Energy Interconnections, SP Group and Tenaga Nasional Berhad have also signed a Joint Development Agreement to conduct detailed feasibility studies for a second electricity interconnection between Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, with a potential capacity of up to 2 GW.

Singapore is increasingly relying on low-carbon electricity imports as part of its efforts to reduce emissions from the power sector. The sector currently accounts for around 40% of the country’s carbon emissions, making the transition toward cleaner electricity an important part of Singapore’s broader decarbonisation strategy.

The 900 MW projects from Johor are expected to support this transition by combining renewable generation with battery energy storage. Energy storage can help manage fluctuations in solar generation and improve the reliability of imported renewable electricity.

To date, EMA has granted Conditional Approvals and Conditional Licences to 13 electricity import projects involving Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. These projects form part of Singapore’s broader strategy to diversify its electricity sources while increasing access to low-carbon power.

EMA said it will continue engaging with companies that have credible and commercially viable electricity import proposals capable of contributing to the decarbonisation of Singapore’s power sector.