Clean Energy Transition is Additional Drive for Regional Power Trades in South and South East Asia

Regional power trades are on the rise in South East Asia. Historically, Laos is a major exporter of mostly hydropower in the region, reaching nearly 2 billion US$ in 2022 to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. And the exported amount keeps growing. For example, Laos and Vietnam have signed another 3000 to 5000 MW of power to be imported under MOUs from Laos, setting the stage for an increase of the already more than 15 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in force for that purpose. Added transmission capacity facilitates the trend, for example with the currently ongoing construction of a 220 kV line between Nam Mo in Laos to Tuong Duong. But Laos is not the only one. Vietnam is increasingly exporting power to Cambodia since the Chau Doc – Ta Keo 220 kV transmission line that marked 10 year anniversary of operation in 2019, now already at 17 border gates, reaching a very substantial share of Cambodia’s imported electricity amount. Myanmar, China, Malaysia and Singapore are all increasingly involved in selling or buying electricity across borders on a large scale, or are planning to do so.