Singapore unveils five-year plan to expand power grid, storage and solar capacity

Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) announced a five-year infrastructure programme aimed at meeting rising electricity demand, which could reach between 9.9 GW and 13 GW by 2031. The plan includes new natural-gas-fired power plants, an expanded transmission network and a tripling of energy-storage capacity.

"This increase will mainly be due to new demand from energy-intensive sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centres, as well as wider use of electric transport," EMA said in a media release.

Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry Tan See Leng, speaking at Singapore International Energy Week 2026, described the programme as the most significant build-up of energy infrastructure in decades. He noted recent regional gas supply cuts and stressed that Singapore has built resilience through long-term investments.

"Our households and our businesses can be assured that our energy security is always at the top of our minds. We will continue to maintain, we will continue to expand our options, strengthen our partnerships around the world, and build even greater resilience," Tan said.

The government plans to spend up to S$5.3 billion (US$4.15 billion) on grid upgrades, expanding high-voltage transmission lines from about 7,700 km to roughly 9,100 km by 2030 and adding seven new substations. Studies are under way to triple the length of underground cable tunnels to speed future expansions.

Energy storage capacity is set to rise from around 350 MWh today to just over 1 GWh by 2030, supporting grid stability and renewable integration. EMA has launched a consultation paper to gather industry proposals on storage technologies, business models and regulatory reforms.

In a related development, Singapore and Saudi Arabia announced a joint intent to store Saudi crude oil at Jurong Rock Caverns, with operations expected to begin in the second half of 2027, aiming to enhance supply-chain resilience in Southeast Asia.