Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Strategic partnerships among the government, industry and financial institutions are crucial to accelerating Malaysia’s energy transition, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Seri Fadillah Yusof said at the Energy Transition Conference 2026 (ETCon26) in Kuala Lumpur on June 3.
Addressing the opening ceremony of ETCon26, Fadillah Yusof stressed that the energy transition is not merely a technological shift but, at its core, a matter of people’s well-being and prosperity.
He noted that for both Malaysia and ASEAN, the transition is not only an environmental imperative but also an economic necessity and a strategic priority.
According to the Deputy PM, the choices made today will shape the competitiveness of industries and the well-being of future generations for millennia to come.
Yusof said that Malaysia, through national utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), plans to invest 43 billion MYR (10.7 billion USD) between 2025 and 2027 to modernise and strengthen its power grid. The investment will include the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the acceleration of renewable energy initiatives, and efforts to advance the country’s energy transition agenda.
He noted that electricity demand across Southeast Asia is projected to grow by 4–5% annually over the next decade, driven by rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Demand is also being fuelled by emerging growth sectors, including digital infrastructure, electric vehicles, cooling requirements and AI-powered data centres.
To meet these growing energy needs, he highlighted the ASEAN Power Grid initiative as a strong example of regional cooperation. The initiative, he added, demonstrates how ASEAN member states can work together to facilitate cross-border electricity trade, enhance regional energy security and support a more sustainable energy future for the region./.
Malaysia accelerates large-scale battery storage projects
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Fadillah Yusof told reporters in Kuching, Sarawak state, that the growing number of solar energy projects in Malaysia has made battery storage increasingly important for managing power flows.
