Indonesia eyes to export excess electricity to ASEAN
The Trade Ministry of Indonesia has called for progress to promote the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative, which can help the country deal with its current electricity oversupply, including by exporting excess power to neighbouring countries.
Saguling dam in West Bandung regency of West Java, Indonesia (Photo: Joakarta Post)
Jakarta (VNA) - The Trade Ministry of Indonesia has called for progress to promote the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) initiative, which can help the country deal with its current electricity oversupply, including by exporting excess power to neighbouring countries.
At the ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) Special Meeting in May, the ministry expressed its wish for other ASEAN member states to re-start long-time initiatives like the APG to dampen the impact of high energy prices.
The APG is a plan to interconnect power grids in the region by progressing from bilateral cross-border agreements to subregional agreements and, finally, full regional integration. The plan’s implementation relies on the development of harmonized transmission infrastructure and trading regulations.
At the AEM, Indonesian Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi said deeper ASEAN economic cooperation was imperative as the current multilateral trading system faced multiple challenges that could render the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ineffective.
According to, ASEAN negotiations director of the Indonesian Trade Ministry Dina Kurniasari, the APG will complement regional value chains to increase the region's comparative advantage and at the same time meet the region's energy security needs.
This initiative is expected to solve the problem of electricity oversupply in Indonesia, she said./.
The Indonesian government has been actively wooing investors at the 2022 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, by highlighting the country’s investment potential and holding economic discussions.
Indonesia has received its first requests for palm oil export permits, some of which could be granted on May 30, Veri Anggriono, a senior official of the Indonesian Ministry of Trade said.
Indonesia and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have pledged to strengthen their cooperation in the marine and fishery sector, particularly for ensuring the quality of products.
The Indonesian government is set to temporarily suspend the export of new and renewable energy in order to prioritise domestic demands as the national clean energy mix for electricity is still at 11.7 percent, local media reported.
The Indonesia-Australia climate change partnership will push investment in new and clean energy, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Saguling dam in West Bandung regency of West Java, Indonesia (Photo: Joakarta Post) 
