INGENIEUR
Figure 3: ASEAN Energy Resources [7]
ASEAN POWER GRID
ASEAN Energy Resources
ASEAN is one of the fastest growing regions in
the world with a steep rise in energy demand,
propelled by economic and demographic growth.
According to International Energy Agency [6], the
region’s energy demand has increased by two
and a half folds since 1990. Thus, ensuring a
secure supply of energy is an overriding concern
for ASEAN.
Fortunately, ASEAN region is blessed with vast
indigenous resources. For example, Myanmar,
Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR possess huge
hydro potential while Brunei and Malaysia are
bestowed with oil and gas reserves. Equitably,
Indonesia owns most of the region’s coal
resources.
Rich and diversified resources, coupled with
a rapid growth of electricity demand, present
a compelling reason for further integration of
the grids, both cross-border and national. The
imminent benefits include enhanced grid reliability
and lower costs resulting from cheap hydro
potential resources and pooling of generation
reserves. These would delay the need for
investment in new generation capacity of nonintegrated system [6].
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VOL 61 JANUARY – MARCH 2015
VOL 55 JUNE 2013
ASEAN Power Grid
APG is the answer for the region’s envisaged grid
integration. A flagship programme mandated in
1997 by ASEAN Heads of States/Governments
under ASEAN vision 2020, APG aims to create
economic benefits and opportunities for power
exchange and trade among ASEAN member
countries to support ASEAN Economic Community
[1]. APG seeks to ensure energy security and to
establish a Southeast Asian regional electricity
grid by 2020.
The Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/
Authorities (HAPUA), assisted by ASEAN Power
Grid Consultative Committee (APGCC), was tasked
to conduct the ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan
Study (AIMS). AIMS proposed a comprehensive
plan of regional transmission network that links
ASEAN power systems, initially on cross-border
bilateral terms, then gradually expand to subregional basis and finally to a totally integrated
APG system [9]. The AIMS study consists of AIMS-I
which was completed in 2003 and AIMS-II in 2010,
identified 16 interconnection projects as depicted
in Figure 4. The interconnection projects comprise
partially existing links, in on-going projects as well
as future projects.
AIMS-II studies reported a substantial potential
saving in investment of new power projects and
operating costs within member countries. By