{
  "id": 16545094,
  "title": "Singapore launches five-year energy infrastructure plan to meet growing demand, sets new solar target",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/singapore-launches-five-year-energy-infrastructure-plan-to-meet",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-26T01:53:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/energy-infrastructure-plan-electricity-demand-tan-see-leng-siew-6490666"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Singapore has unveiled a five-year plan aimed at bolstering its energy infrastructure to accommodate increasing demand. The initiative includes the construction of five new natural gas-fired power plants, expansion of the power grid, and enhancement of solar capacity, as well as bolstering energy storage capabilities. According to the Energy Market Authority (EMA), Singapore's peak electricity demand in August stood at 8.6 gigawatts (GW), with projections suggesting that this could rise between 9.9GW and 13GW by 2031. This surge in demand is primarily anticipated to stem from emerging sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centers, alongside a greater reliance on electric vehicles.\n\nEMA spokesperson, Dr Tan See Leng, emphasized that the plan represents the most substantial expansion of Singapore's energy infrastructure in recent decades. During a lecture at the Singapore International Energy Week 2026, Dr Tan highlighted that over the weekend, Indonesia had begun reducing gas supplies to Singapore, amounting to less than 2 percent of the country's total daily gas demand. Dr Tan reassured the public that Singapore's energy security remains a top priority, with the nation's preparedness to weather such disruptions underscored by previous experience and a steadfast commitment to maintaining and enhancing its energy system.\n\nThe plan envisions a more robust integration of solar energy, with Singapore aiming to increase its solar capacity from the current 2.3 GW to 4 GW by 2035. While solar power is currently Singapore's most accessible indigenous renewable source, it is projected to contribute no more than 10 percent of the nation's projected electricity demand by 2050. To bolster the grid's capacity, Singapore plans to invest up to S$5.3 billion (approximately US$4.15 billion) between 2025 and 2029. This investment includes the construction of seven new transmission substations by 2031, up from four in the previous five years, alongside the expansion of the transmission cable network to about 9,100km by 2030. Furthermore, there are studies underway to extend the cable tunnels, which could potentially triple in length, to facilitate a more streamlined grid expansion and maintenance.",
  "summary": "Five new natural gas-fired power plants, an expanded power grid and increased energy storage capacity are among the key areas of development.",
  "key_points": [
    "Singapore launches five-year energy infrastructure plan to meet growing demand",
    "Includes construction of five new natural gas-fired power plants and solar capacity expansion",
    "Investment of S$5.3 billion (US$4.15 billion) in grid enhancement between 2025-2029"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This massive infrastructure expansion signals a shift toward securing energy stability against supply disruptions while preparing the national grid for the heavy electricity requirements of data centers and semiconductor manufacturing.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}