BUSAN, Aug 28 — Malaysia stands ready to work with 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies to build power systems that are resilient, adaptive, and capable of supporting the shared transition to low-carbon growth, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
In his three-minute intervention session at Thematic Session 2: Strengthening Grid Security and Reliability here today, he said strengthening grid security and reliability is one of the most pressing challenges as economies move rapidly towards greater electrification and higher shares of renewable energy.
“Our transmission and distribution systems must be expanded and modernised. The variability of renewable generation, coupled with ageing infrastructure, limited transmission capacity, and growing cyber risks, makes this task all the more urgent,” he said.
The session is one of the highlights of the 15th APEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting (EMM), a continuation of the previous session in Peru last year.
Fadillah, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, emphasised that regional cooperation is vital and, through APEC, best practices can be shared, standards harmonised, and cross-border infrastructure projects advanced.
“No economy can achieve grid reliability in isolation, and through regional cooperation, we strengthen our collective resilience and ensure our grids are ready for the needs of a clean energy future,” he said.
He added that the Malaysian government recognises that grid readiness is central to its transition.
“Under our National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), we are prioritising transmission expansion and grid modernisation to ensure large-scale renewables can be integrated safely and reliably.
“We are advancing interconnections with our Asean neighbours through the Asean Power Grid, as regional energy security can only be achieved if our networks are interconnected and resilient across borders,” he said.
Earlier, Malaysia also highlighted an intervention during Thematic Session 1: Electricity Expansion for a Stable Supply Open Discussion, where Fadillah said Malaysia has removed restrictions on renewable exports and is establishing a renewable energy exchange system.
“To promote investment, we have implemented competitive bidding for large-scale solar and introduced the Corporate Green Power Programme to enable corporate renewable energy procurement.
“These initiatives create transparency and confidence for investors while ensuring efficient market operation,” he added.
Fadillah’s working visit to South Korea ends tomorrow.
