Singapore is aiming to improve its electrical grid to not only facilitate its transition towards more environmentally-friendly energy but also to meet the growing demand resulting from economic expansion, digitalization, and the increasing use of electric cars. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has recently issued a tender to engage a consultant to evaluate and potentially enhance different aspects of the electrical grid. This includes exploring the viability of increasing the transmission voltage levels from power generation plants and enhancing efficiency.
According to EMA, higher voltage levels are critical for transmitting electricity over greater distances, such as when importing electricity from nearby nations like Malaysia. High-voltage electricity is also required by energy-intensive sectors like the petrochemicals and metals industries.
EMA also seeks to expand the reach of the low-voltage electricity network, which traditionally serves households and small businesses. This move would decrease the necessity for substations that transform electricity from high to low voltages in residential areas.
Currently, a substantial portion of the electricity grid infrastructure was constructed and commissioned in the 1980s to early 2000s to sustain urbanization and industrialization. It is now necessary to examine the design and plan of the grid infrastructure in light of changing energy patterns. With plans to increase the amount of low-carbon electricity imports to 4 GW by 2023 and produce at least 2 GW of solar power by 2030 – from around 700 megawatt-peak as at the end of the second quarter of 2022 – Singapore’s electricity grid infrastructure needs to be upgraded to support this energy transition.
(Sources: The Straits Times; EMA)
