Governance gaps could stall ASEAN power integration, Ember says

ASEAN identified 18 interconnectors needed by 2040.

Southeast Asia’s subsea power cable plans face a governance gap as the region moves to scale cross-border electricity links, according to an Ember analysis.

The report says ASEAN has identified 18 interconnectors needed by 2040 as part of a wider push to more than double interconnector capacity from 7.7 gigawatts today.

The ASEAN Interconnection Masterplan Study III outlines 18 new and existing interconnectors needed to meet that goal.

Delivery will depend on stronger regional planning, clearer cost allocation frameworks, and improved coordination across maritime and energy authorities.

“The challenge of cross-border subsea interconnection in ASEAN is increasingly institutional rather than purely technical,” said Alnie Demoral, Energy Analyst at Ember.

Existing regional frameworks will need to move towards more operational mechanisms for project development and implementation as project scale increases.

It identified three main gaps. The first is regional planning, where ASEAN’s current masterplan provides a basis but lacks mechanisms to prioritise and sequence investment across countries.

The second is cost allocation, where uneven distribution of benefits from interconnection projects can extend negotiations when there is no shared framework for dividing costs.

The third is maritime governance, where subsea cables cross territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, and areas used for shipping, fisheries, and telecommunications infrastructure, requiring coordination across multiple authorities.

Ember recommended operationalising the ASEAN Power Grid Generation and Transmission Planning function as a priority, alongside structured cost-benefit methodologies and a submarine cable working group.

“ASEAN already has the foundations,” said Philippine Chair and State-Owned Enterprise Leader Undersecretary Felix William “Wimpy” B. Fuentebella.

The success of subsea power cable projects depends not just on whether the technology works, but on how well countries coordinate planning, regulation, financing, and maritime governance.

The report cited Europe’s interconnected grid as a reference point, noting around 25 operational submarine interconnectors with a combined capacity of about 22,290 megawatts as of 2025.