Singapore to import low-carbon electricity from Vietnam

Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd (SCU), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, will be implementing the project with Petro Vietnam Technical Services. The imported electricity will be predominantly powered by offshore wind and transmitted from Vietnam to Singapore via new subsea cables which will span around 1,000 kilometres, according to a statement by the Energy Market Authority (EMA).

According to a local press report, if approved, imports could begin in 2033 at the earliest. EMA said it would continue to seek low-carbon alternatives including geothermal, hydrogen and technologies such as carbon capture and storage in order to ensure Singapore’s power system is sustainable.

Singapore’s electricity import contract with Vietnam follows the similar ones with Indonesia for importing 2GW electricity, entered into earlier in October; and with Cambodia for 1GW of electricity in April.

In 2021, Singapore announced its intention to import up to 4GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035.

William Stroll, energy expert at Pinsent Masons MPillay, the Singapore joint law venture between MPillay and Pinsent Masons, said: “The total import capacity for which the EMA has granted conditional approval now exceeds Singapore’s 2035 4GW import target. The focus will now shift to implementation of these projects, with development of the necessary technical and regulatory frameworks being the immediate priority.”

The details of the companies who have been granted conditional approval so far are: