Sarawak’s push to become the “Battery of ASEAN” is increasingly tied to cross-border trade and the build-out of regional grid links. In May 2026, Sarawak’s Utility and Telecommunication Minister Julaihi Narawi said the state plans to export more power to neighbouring countries as part of efforts to realise the Borneo Power Grid and the ASEAN Power Grid. The Sarawak power export agenda already includes established deliveries and new targets that are moving from policy intent into consultations, feasibility work, and early-stage commercial and technical preparations.
On the near-term pipeline, Sarawak is targeting to export at least 30 MW to Brunei, which Julaihi said is at the consultation and feasibility stage. Separately, Sarawak began exporting 30 MW of power to Sabah on Dec 13, 2025, and has exported 100 MW to Indonesia’s West Kalimantan since 2016. These figures matter because they show a progression from one long-running bilateral link to multiple routes, aligned with wider multi-country ambitions for interconnected trading across Southeast Asia.
From Approvals to Cables: The Singapore Link Takes Shape
A major catalyst is the plan to supply Singapore. Julaihi said Sarawak plans to export electricity to Singapore with a capacity not exceeding 1,000 MW (1 GW), after receiving conditional approval from Singapore’s Energy Market Authority on Oct 17, 2025. He added that commercial discussions and technical development began following approvals from Malaysia’s National Security Council in December 2025 and Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority in February 2026. Sarawak’s Premier Abang Johari also said the state is in discussions to supply 1 GW to Singapore through an undersea cable, framing it as part of efforts to establish the ASEAN power grid.
Sarawak’s ability to supply exports is also discussed in terms of capacity and anticipated demand. Bernama reported Sarawak’s current electricity generation capacity at 5,928 MW, while demand is expected to rise to 4,800 MW. Looking further ahead, the Sarawak Tribune reported Sarawak is on track to produce about 10 GW of electricity by 2030, increasing to 15 GW by 2035, while domestic consumption is expected to remain between 6 GW and 7 GW. In parallel export conversations, Julaihi said electricity exports to Peninsular Malaysia with a capacity of no less than 1,000 MW are in early discussions.
Regional context suggests why these projects attract attention. TransitionZero noted Malaysia’s annual export volumes have been modest, averaging less than one TWh per year, equivalent to 2.5% of total regional trade, with flows historically registered mainly via Sarawak exports to West Kalimantan and limited two-way trade with Thailand. In a separate market report, Mordor Intelligence stated Malaysia’s 2.1 GW concentrates in Sarawak and described Baleh (1,285 MW) as lifting exports to Singapore through a 100 MW subsea cable that went live in 2024, while also noting the Lao-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project achieved full operation in 2024, wheeling 100–200 MW from Laos to Singapore. Together, these details underscore how Sarawak’s export ambitions sit within a wider ASEAN grid conversation that is increasingly focused on cross-border interconnection and trade.
What does Sarawak’s electricity export plan to Singapore involve?
How much power is Sarawak already exporting across borders?
How does Sarawak’s generation capacity compare with expected demand?
How do regional trends support the Sarawak power export topic?
