Singapore must keep power system resilient, says Tan See Leng as PacificLight breaks ground on $1.2b power plant

Singapore must ensure its power system remains resilient against disruption as energy becomes an increasingly important consideration in investment decisions amid energy crises, said Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Dr Tan See Leng on Monday (Sept 28).

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for PacificLight's $1.2 billion hydrogen-ready power plant on Jurong Island, which will be Singapore's first facility to pair a gas turbine with large-scale battery storage, Dr Tan stressed the importance of both securing fuel supplies and strengthening the operational resilience of the country's power infrastructure.

He highlighted that the world has experienced two energy crises in the past five years, from the post-Covid energy crunch to ongoing disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East, with geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions exposing vulnerabilities in global energy markets.

But Singapore has thus far been able to withstand the impact of energy supply chain disruptions because of its "multiple layers of defence", Dr Tan noted.

"This includes diversifying our gas supplies, establishing Singapore GasCo to strengthen our LNG procurement capabilities, as well as maintaining domestic fuel reserves which we can turn to if needed."

The minister added that these safeguards have helped Singapore withstand recent supply disruptions and provided greater flexibility to respond to future shocks.

Operational resilience matters

But beyond securing the country's fuel supplies through source diversification, the operational resilience of Singapore's power infrastructure is equally important, Dr Tan said.

He noted that PacificLight's new facility will co-locate the combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant with an on-site battery energy storage system — a first in Singapore.

"It will enhance the plant's operational resilience and flexibility, strengthening its ability to respond to contingencies and support system recovery when needed," the energy and industry minister said, adding that such capabilities help maintain the reliability that businesses and households depend on.

Explaining why this matters, Dr Tan said that Singapore's peak electricity demand is projected to grow at a faster pace in the coming years, driven by advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, and transport electrification.

"In many respects, the fastest megawatt is the winning megawatt. We must therefore continue investing in new generation capacity ahead of demand so that Singapore can seize new investment opportunities and support our future growth," he added.

With countries around the world racing to secure the energy capacity needed to power the next wave of economic growth, energy security has become an increasingly important consideration for investors, he said.

In a media release, PacificLight said the integrated battery energy storage system will enable dynamic energy management and improve grid resilience by helping to align electricity supply with demand.

The plant will be capable of co-firing with hydrogen at up to 30 per cent by volume from the outset, with the aim of transitioning to 100 per cent hydrogen in the future, the company added.

When it begins operations in 2029, the 670MW facility will generate enough electricity to meet the power needs of up to 1.2 million four-room flats.

新加坡贸易与工业部（能源与工业）部长陈诗龙博士周一（9月28日）表示，随着能源危机日益加剧，能源在投资决策中的重要性也日益凸显，新加坡必须确保其电力系统保持韧性，免受干扰。

在太平洋电力公司位于裕廊岛、耗资 12 亿美元的氢能发电厂奠基仪式上，陈博士强调了保障燃料供应和加强国家电力基础设施运行韧性的重要性。该发电厂将是新加坡首个将燃气轮机与大规模电池储能相结合的设施。

他强调，过去五年里，世界经历了两次能源危机，从新冠疫情后的能源短缺到与中东冲突相关的持续中断，地缘政治紧张局势和供应链中断暴露了全球能源市场的脆弱性。

谭博士指出，新加坡迄今为止能够抵御能源供应链中断的影响，是因为其拥有“多层防御”。

“这包括实现天然气供应多元化，成立新加坡天然气公司以加强我们的液化天然气采购能力，以及维持国内燃料储备以备不时之需。”

部长补充说，这些保障措施帮助新加坡抵御了近期的供应中断，并为应对未来的冲击提供了更大的灵活性。

运营韧性至关重要

陈博士表示，除了通过来源多元化来保障国家的燃料供应外，新加坡电力基础设施的运行韧性也同样重要。

他指出，PacificLight 的新设施将把联合循环燃气轮机 (CCGT) 电厂与现场电池储能系统放在一起——这在新加坡尚属首次。

能源和工业部长表示：“这将增强该电厂的运行韧性和灵活性，加强其应对突发事件和在需要时支持系统恢复的能力。”他还补充说，这种能力有助于维持企业和家庭所依赖的可靠性。

陈博士解释说，这之所以重要，是因为受先进制造业、数字经济和交通电气化的推动，新加坡的电力需求峰值预计将在未来几年以更快的速度增长。

“在很多方面，发展速度最快的兆瓦电力才是最终的赢家。因此，我们必须继续投资建设新的发电能力，以满足不断增长的需求，这样新加坡才能抓住新的投资机遇，并支持未来的发展。”他补充道。

他表示，世界各国都在竞相确保下一波经济增长所需的能源能力，能源安全已成为投资者越来越重视的问题。

PacificLight 在一份新闻稿中表示，集成电池储能系统将实现动态能源管理，并通过帮助协调电力供应与需求来提高电网弹性。

该公司补充说，该工厂从一开始就能够以高达 30% 的体积比与氢气混合燃烧，目标是在未来过渡到 100% 氢气燃烧。

该电厂装机容量为 670 兆瓦，预计于 2029 年开始运营，届时将产生足够的电力，满足多达 120 万套四房式公寓的用电需求。