Singapore will invest up to S$5.3 billion ($4.14 billion) in expanding its electricity grid between 2025 and 2029, as the country prepares for rising power demand from energy-intensive industries such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centers.
The investment forms part of a five-year Energy Infrastructure Plan by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), which outlines upcoming developments in power generation, natural gas infrastructure, electricity transmission, solar deployment, energy storage and low-carbon electricity imports, EMA said in a statement on Monday.
Singapore’s peak electricity demand stood at 8.6 gigawatts (GW) in August 2026 and could rise to between 9.9GW and 13GW by 2031, depending on the pace at which new developments come online. Wider adoption of electric transport will also contribute to demand growth.
The planned grid investment is 11 times the amount spent over the preceding five years and will support the expansion of transmission and distribution infrastructure to accommodate growing electricity needs.
Singapore plans to build seven new transmission substations by 2031, compared with four in the previous five years. Its high-voltage transmission cable network, which carries electricity from power plants to different parts of the country, is expected to expand from about 7,700km currently to approximately 9,100km by 2030.
The distribution network will also be strengthened to support new sources of electricity supply and demand, including solar panels and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
To meet longer-term transmission needs, Singapore is studying the feasibility of more than tripling its cable tunnel network from about 50km currently. The tunnels would facilitate faster grid expansion, improve access to cables for maintenance and reduce the frequency and duration of road works required for upgrades.
The expanded network would also support areas with strong electricity demand growth, including Tampines Wafer Fab Park.
Singapore will also expand its electricity generation capacity, with five new natural gas-fired power plants scheduled to become operational between 2026 and 2031. These plants are expected to increase generation capacity by about 26% from the current level of around 12GW.
EMA is evaluating proposals submitted under a request for proposals that closed in September 2026 for additional gas-fired power plants expected to operate by 2032. Further tenders may be launched over the next five years if electricity demand continues to grow strongly.
Singapore is also studying the feasibility of establishing a new energy cluster at Pulau Tekong, where hydrogen-ready gas-fired power plants, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and other low-carbon energy technologies could be developed.
Natural gas currently accounts for around 95% of Singapore’s electricity needs. To strengthen energy security and accommodate higher demand, the country plans to increase its LNG regasification capacity from 10 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) to 15Mtpa when its second LNG terminal at Jurong Port becomes operational by 2030.
An expansion of the existing LNG terminal on Jurong Island is also being studied. Together with an expanded natural gas transmission network, the additional infrastructure is expected to improve the reliability and resilience of gas supplies to existing and new power plants.
Singapore is also seeking to diversify its energy sources by expanding domestic solar capacity and increasing electricity imports.
The country has installed 2.3 gigawatts-peak (GWp) of solar capacity and remains on track to achieve its target of 3GWp by 2030. It will subsequently work towards an expanded target of 4GWp by 2035, adding solar installations on reservoirs, vacant land and building rooftops.
Energy storage capacity is targeted to increase from about 350 megawatt-hours currently to just over one gigawatt-hour by 2030.
Energy storage systems can respond quickly to disruptions, balance fluctuations in electricity supply and demand, and help manage temporary grid constraints by storing electricity when network capacity is available and discharging it during peak periods.
For electricity imports, Singapore plans to progressively develop sufficient landing sites to connect subsea cables to its power grid.
Feasibility studies are underway for a second electricity interconnector with Peninsular Malaysia. If realised, the link could provide up to 2GW of capacity by 2030, supplementing the existing interconnector, which supports up to 1GW of electricity flows in either direction.
EMA will continue to monitor electricity demand and review its infrastructure plans as requirements evolve, with the aim of ensuring a reliable and resilient power system amid rising consumption.
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