Opening Remarks by Minister of State for Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang at the Spotlight: U.S. Forum

H.E. Anjani Sinha, Ambassador of the United States to Singapore,

Fellow Ministers of Energy in the region

Friends

Distinguished guests

1. Good morning. It is my pleasure to join you at the Spotlight U.S. Forum at the Singapore International Energy Week. This is an annual event and it is such a delight to see so many of you from different parts of the world gathered here.

2. I thank the US Embassy in Singapore, the US Department of Commerce and the US-ASEAN Business Council for co-organising today’s Forum.

3. Now in its third edition, the Forum is a valuable platform for Singapore and the US to deepen our longstanding energy partnership. We also work closely through ASEAN-US Energy Cooperation, with Singapore serving as the country coordinator.

4. This year's Forum is particularly timely. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and data centres is transforming our economies, while at the same time placing new and increasingly complex demands on our energy systems.

5. According to the International Energy Agency, global electricity demand from data centres grew by an estimated 17% in 2025 and could double by 2030. Yet grid constraints could delay the deployment of around 20% of planned data-centre capacity worldwide.

6. These pressures are also being felt in Southeast Asia. The 9th ASEAN Energy Outlook estimates that the region will require around US$160 billion annually in power sector investment to meet its growing energy needs.

7. How, then, can our energy systems keep pace with our digital ambitions? Allow me to highlight three priorities this morning.

8. First, we must invest ahead of demand.

9. In Singapore, electricity demand is projected to rise rapidly, driven by economic growth, transport electrification, and energy-intensive sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centres.

10. To meet this demand reliably, Singapore will undertake its largest expansion of our energy infrastructure in decades. Five new, more efficient and hydrogen-ready power plants are expected to come online by 2031, increasing Singapore’s installed generation capacity by about 26%.

11. At SIEW this year, the Energy Market Authority launched its first Five-Year Energy Infrastructure Plan, providing greater visibility of upcoming developments across our power system.

12. As we expand our infrastructure, Singapore and the US can work together on advanced grid solutions and to build more reliable and resilient power systems.

13. Second, we must strengthen regional interconnectivity.

14. Greater connectivity can link diverse energy resources with major centres of demand in the region, including emerging data-centre and industrial hubs. This is the vision behind the ASEAN Power Grid.

15. Earlier this month, ASEAN Energy Ministers acknowledged the substantive progress made on the ASEAN Regulatory Guidelines for Facilitating Submarine Power Cable Activities. These Guidelines seek to provide greater clarity on regulatory frameworks for developers undertaking subsea power cable activities. We look forward to working with ASEAN Member States to conclude the Guidelines soon.

16. Singapore and the US are also working together to advance regional energy connectivity. Under the second phase of our joint Feasibility Study on Regional Energy Connectivity in Southeast Asia with the US Department of Energy, the US National Laboratories have examined the infrastructure, regulatory and financing arrangements that will be necessary to facilitate cross-border electricity trade. I thank the Department of Energy and the US National Laboratories for the strong partnership and support, and I am pleased that the Study’s preliminary findings will be presented later today.

17. Third, we must harness innovation and diversify our energy options.

18. AI is not only driving electricity demand; it can also be part of the solution. Singapore’s Grid Digital Twin uses AI and advanced analytics to monitor electricity infrastructure, detect faults earlier and support more effective maintenance.

19. Singapore is also studying the potential for nuclear energy deployment and building the capabilities needed to make an informed assessment. And to that end, I am very thankful for the good support and partnership from the United States.

20. Excellencies and distinguished guests, as AI transforms our economies, our energy systems must be ready to power this growth.

21. By combining our strengths in energy innovation, infrastructure development and regional cooperation, Singapore and the US can turn today’s challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth in Singapore and beyond.

22. Let us work together to build the energy systems that will power the future of our growth.

23. Thank you.