Energy · Asia

Singapore prepares grid for rising electricity demand

Singapore is preparing its power grid for rising electricity use from data centres, manufacturing and other developments. The Energy Market Authority projects peak demand will grow 2.9 to 6.5 per cent annually over the next decade, while EMA and SP Group plan demand reviews, grid upgrades and energy-source diversification.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 3 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 3 outletsHow it's made

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3 outletsLatest reporting Oct 22, 7:46 AM UTC3 min read

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What happened

Key facts

Singapore is preparing to meet demand from data centres, advanced manufacturing and other energy-intensive developments.
SP Group works with the Energy Market Authority to review demand projections and with JTC Corporation and the Economic Development Board to identify areas where demand is growing.

The brief

Singapore is preparing its power system for rising electricity use as the Energy Market Authority (EMA) projects peak demand will grow by 2.9 to 6.5 per cent annually over the next decade. The projection appears in EMA’s 2026 demand estimates, according to CNA.

SP Group vice president of asset planning and strategy Quek Swee Xian said planning must account not only for the amount of electricity required, but also the places where demand is expected and when it is likely to materialise. She said those factors inform preparations for future demand. Her remarks were made in an interview with CNA938 on Wednesday (Oct 21), CNA reported.

CNA also reported that a consultant is expected to be appointed by mid-2027 to study a site on reclaimed land. The study is estimated to take about two years. The site covers 200 hectares, an area equivalent to about 40 per cent of Sentosa Island’s land area.

The projected demand increase is the central planning challenge described by Quek: electricity needs may emerge at different locations and times, so planning involves anticipating where and when the system will need to serve new demand. CNA’s account identifies data centres, manufacturing and other developments as sources of rising electricity use in Singapore.

Quek contrasted current outage durations with those in the 1990s. She said Singapore could then experience up to 30 minutes of electricity interruption per year on average, while outages today are measured in seconds. The comparison describes past and present interruption durations; it does not provide a forecast of future outage length.

The next stated milestones are the appointment of the consultant by mid-2027 and the ensuing site study, which is estimated to take about two years. The projection and the planning approach frame the work: EMA expects annual peak-demand growth within the stated range, while SP Group’s planning considers both the location and timing of expected demand.

Why it matters

Singapore’s electricity planners are preparing for EMA’s projection of 2.9 to 6.5 per cent annual growth in peak demand over the next decade.
The planning mechanism described by SP Group includes anticipating where and when demand will emerge, not only estimating the amount of electricity needed.
A 200-hectare reclaimed-land site is subject to a study estimated to take about two years; its area is about 40 per cent of Sentosa Island’s land area.

What to watch next

Whether a consultant is appointed for the reclaimed-land site study by mid-2027.
The outcome of the study, which is estimated to take about two years.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details

3 source articles · 3 unique outlets

Outlet political mix: Too few rated· 1 Center · 2 unrated

Where the outlets are based: Asia 100%

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Geography

Where the outlets covering this story are based.

3 unique outletsDominant coverage: Asia

All3 Asia3 · 100%

Coverage imbalance

Coverage is currently concentrated among outlets based in Asia (3 of 3 geographically-identified sources).

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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.

1961
Singapore established the Economic Development Board to promote industrial development.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
1963
Singapore established the Public Utilities Board to manage public utilities, including electricity.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
1995
The institutional framework for planning that infrastructure took shape after Singapore restructured its electricity industry in 1995, separating generation from transmission and distribution.
Background · from our historical context
2001
Singapore established the Energy Market Authority under the Energy Market Authority of Singapore Act.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
2003
Singapore launched its wholesale electricity market.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
2013
Its first liquefied natural gas terminal opened on Jurong Island in 2013, adding a way to receive gas by ship.
Background · from our historical context
2022
In 2022, Singapore ended its moratorium on new data centres and said it would allocate about 300 megawatts of capacity to operators meeting sustainability requirements.
Background · from our historical context

How we got here

In 2022, Singapore ended its moratorium on new data centres and said it would allocate about 300 megawatts of capacity to operators meeting sustainability requirements. The institutional framework for planning that infrastructure took shape after Singapore restructured its electricity industry in 1995, separating generation from transmission and distribution.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) was established under the Energy Market Authority of Singapore Act 2001 to regulate the energy sector. Its first liquefied natural gas terminal opened on Jurong Island in 2013, adding a way to receive gas by ship. The terminal gave Singapore another source of fuel for electricity generation, alongside pipeline imports.