Singapore plans 26% power boost by 2031

Singapore has launched a five-year energy infrastructure plan that will see five new natural gas power plants enter operation between 2026 and 2031, raising overall generation capacity by about 26% from around 12 GW today. Officials describe this as the most significant build-up of the power system in decades, aimed at meeting rising electricity demand as the economy expands and power-intensive sectors such as semiconductors and data centres grow.

The new plants are part of measures that also cover grid expansion, solar deployment, energy storage and cross-border electricity links. Proposals for further generation capacity from 2032 onward are already under evaluation, signalling preparation for demand growth beyond the current planning horizon.

To support the additional generation and growing industrial loads, Singapore plans to invest up to S$5.3 billion in its power grid between 2025 and 2029, an increase of about 11 times compared with the previous five years. Seven new transmission substations are planned by 2031 to strengthen supply in areas including Changi, Pasir Ris and Paya Lebar.

The length of the high-voltage cable network is expected to grow from about 7,700 km to 9,100 km by 2030, improving connectivity and resilience across the island. Authorities also plan to develop more coastal sites to connect subsea power cables into the national grid, supporting future imports of low-carbon electricity.

Solar remains Singapore’s main indigenous renewable resource, with around 2.3 GWp of installed capacity. The country is on track to reach a target of 3 GWp of solar deployment by 2030 and has now set a higher goal of 4 GWp of peak capacity by 2035, reflecting plans to accelerate deployment.

At the same time, the total capacity of energy storage systems is to increase from about 350 MWh to more than 1 GWh by 2030. Even with these efforts, officials estimate that solar will supply no more than 10% of projected electricity demand in 2050, underscoring the continued role of gas-fired generation and imported low-carbon power.

Singapore is advancing plans to expand interconnection capacity with Peninsular Malaysia. Marine subsea surveys along a proposed interconnector route have commenced, marking a key milestone towards adding up to 2 GW of new interconnection capacity by 2030. This will complement 1 GW of capacity available via the existing link.

Authorities are also studying further expansion of the first LNG terminal on Jurong Island.