Vietnam-Singapore Cross-Border Power Grid Cooperation Towards the ASEAN Region

On March 26, 2025, in Hanoi, the two sides exchanged important cooperation documents in the presence of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Based on the joint report on offshore wind power trade cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore, Minister Nguyễn Hồng Diên and Singapore’s Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng exchanged a Letter of Intent on cross-border electricity trade cooperation—towards an integrated ASEAN power grid.

The Letter of Intent is designed to affirm the importance of and promote cross-border electricity trade cooperation in general, as well as offshore wind power trade cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore in particular. It aims to contribute to the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative, foster regional growth, enhance energy resilience, and promote sustainability.

Under the witness of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade and Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry exchanged a Letter of Intent on cross-border electricity trade cooperation—towards the ASEAN power grid.

The Vietnam-Singapore cross-border power grid cooperation began with an offshore renewable energy project in the waters of Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu province, with a capacity of 2.3 GW. This project was launched in early 2023 when the two sides signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) on investment cooperation and clean electricity export during Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s official visit to Singapore. This is also a pilot project of the Vietnamese Government in the field of offshore wind power, contributing to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the energy security of the country and the region.

The project is implemented with the cooperation between PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation (a member of Vietnam National Energy Industry Group) and Sembcorp Utilities Pte. Ltd. - SCU (a subsidiary of Sembcorp Group) - two leading enterprises in the field of energy and technical services in Southeast Asia.

Subsequently, at the end of August 2024, PTSC and SCU signed a contract for wind measurement, hydrological assessment, and geological survey for the offshore renewable energy export project from Vietnam to Singapore. This is an important part of the preparation and implementation of the project to export renewable energy offshore from Vietnam to Singapore, aiming to ensure the success of the project by providing accurate and complete data on natural and technical conditions in the project implementation area. On the other hand, the package also creates opportunities for PTSC and SCU to apply the most advanced technologies, contributing to the sustainable development of the wind power industry in Vietnam.

The plan to export offshore renewable energy from Vietnam to Singapore not only creates economic and technological development opportunities for both countries but also marks a significant milestone in promoting international cooperation in clean energy. The successful implementation of this project will contribute to mitigating the impacts of climate change and enhancing the global standing of Vietnam and Singapore in the renewable energy sector./.