Photo 1. Group photo of the workshop participants.
On 7-9 October 2025, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), supported by National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), EU SCOPE IF, Aus4ASEAN Futures, and ETP UNOPS, successfully conducted the 3-Day Workshop on ‘Enabling Subsea Interconnectors in ASEAN’ in Alabang, the Philippines. The event aimed to strengthen regional capacity and coordination for subsea transmission development under the ASEAN Power Grid (APG). Bringing together representatives from ministries, regulators, utilities and partner institutions, the workshop served as a platform to exchange insights on technical, regulatory, and financial aspects of subsea interconnection, which is an increasingly vital component in advancing energy security, renewable integration, and cross-border electricity trade in the region.
On the first day, discussion centered on the strategic role of subsea interconnection in relation to the development of the APG. Scene-setting presentations delivered by Nadhilah Shani, Manager of the Power Generation and Interconnection (PIN) department at ACE; Adrianto Darmoyo, Head of Solar & Wind from APLSI; Si Han Ng from Energy Market Authority (EMA) of Singapore; and Alvin Lim from Sarawak Energy Resources, highlighted the progress and future challenges for subsea interconnection.
Photo 2. Opening speeches delivered by (from left to right) First Secretary of Australian Mission to ASEAN, Kirill Artyukhov, Manager of Power and Interconnection of ACE, Nadhilah Shani, President and CEO of TransCo, Fortunato C. Leynes, and Programme Officer on Sustainable Connectivity of EU Delegation to ASEAN, Ramon Vivanco Mugarra.
Following the scene setting presentation, Frank de Wild from DNV introduced the technical challenges of subsea power transmission, including cable design, installation risks, and system resilience and longevity. Next, Norul Rafiq from Volta Forensic brought the topic of damage and failure risk of subsea power cables. The subsequent panel discussion explored both technological and environmental implication of such interconnection, underlining that regional cooperation and shared standards are essential to address risks across multiple layers of implementation and jurisdictions, Rafiq draws lessons from around the globe on subsea interconnector failure such as 450 kV subsea interconnection between the UK and the Netherlands.
The afternoon session brings regulatory and financing topic into the discussion. Scott Lovell from A&O Shearman addressed legal complexities under UNCLOS and overlapping national jurisdictions highlight the need for G2G agreements to streamline cross-border cooperation. Udetanshu from GFANZ and Supriy Singh from ADB stressed that scaling subsea investment will require innovative blended finance, combining public funds, MDB guarantees, and private capital. Private investors seek predictable revenue streams, stable regulatory frameworks, and strong government support. MDBs can play a catalytic role through technical assistance, transaction advisory services, and concessional financing to de-risk projects.
Photo 3. Panel Discussion on Global Learnings from Subsea Interconnector Projects from left to right; Eric Chang (Principal Analyst of Energy Connection Office, EMA), Scott Lovell (Partner, A&O Shearman), Rob Rome (Director of Commercial, Customer & Regulation, National Grid), Mitesh Patel (COO, SunCable), and Grayson Heffner (Moderator).
The first day ended with the cross-cutting panel discussion session on global learnings of subsea interconnections from A&O Shearman, National Grid, EMA, and SunCable. Several key messages emerged from the discussions. Regulatory harmonisation and government-to-government cooperation are indispensable for unlocking investment and managing cross-border complexity; that blended finance and de-risking mechanism must become integral to project design to ensure bankability; and that ASEAN’s technical and institutional capacities must continue to evolve to effectively manage the design, survey, and quality assurance of future interconnectors. Ultimately, regional coordination under the APG stands as the foundation, transforming individual national initiatives into one interconnected and sustainable regional power network.
The second day started with a presentation on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) led by Ben Lim from Mott MacDonald. The session goes over how subsea interconnect may interact with natural ecosystem and the livelihood of coastal communities. ASEAN Member States (AMS) are encouraged to conduct early planning, engage with stakeholders to mitigate its impact to limit habitat loss and community vulnerability. The following session was conveyed by Shaik Ejamani of DNV, addressing the complexities of subsea cable supply chain, revealing mounting pressure between rising demand for offshore interconnectors and limited global manufacturing capacity. He also added that building domestic capacity of cable and vessel industries may alleviate the global supply chain issues.
Photo 4. Panel Discussion Day 2 from left to right: Grayson Heffner (Moderator), Scott Roberts (Head of SE Asia Green Finance Hub, ADB), Rob Rome (National Grid), Philip Napier-Moore (Energy Sector Lead, Mott MacDonald), Ben Lim (Technical Director for Environment, Mott MacDonald), Udetanshu (Director of Capital Mobilisation/Finance, GFANZ), and Giulio La Pera (Project Manager of TYNDP, ENTSO-E) who attended online.
The afternoon session brought another multistakeholder panel discussion on Financing Subsea Investment by empaneling Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Mott MacDonald, and European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). Bringing these discussions together, it is thus clear that environmental and social safeguards must be integrated from the earliest stages of project development to ensure responsible and inclusive development. The discussion also highlighted that improved supply-chain coordination and regional manufacturing partnerships are crucial to address production bottlenecks and secure ASEAN’s access to critical components. Finally, the panel discussion underscored that innovative and blended financing frameworks, supported by clear governance and institutional alignment, are key to ensuring that subsea interconnectors are both financially viable and practically implementable across the region.
Photo 5. The speakers are facilitating the breakout discussion. Scott Roberts of ADB and Alvin Lim of Sarawak Energy on financing topic (left) and Frank de Wild of DNV and Neil Martin Modina of NGCP on technical topic (right).
The third day of workshop mainly focused on project development strategies and lessons from ongoing subsea interconnector initiatives. Philip Napier-Moore from Mott MacDonald opened the session with a presentation that discusses the importance of cost-benefit analysis as the foundation for assessing economic and financial feasibility. The presentation highlighted that identifying stakeholders, particularly those in marine zones is crucial during the initial environmental and social impact assessments. Early market engagement with suppliers and contractors was emphasised to improve transparency and risk management, supported by frameworks such as the Cable Burial Risk Assessment (CBRA) guideline by the UK Carbon Trust. The next session showcased case studies included updates and lessons learned of subsea interconnectors. The Viking Link and Mindanao-Visayas interconnectors demonstrated the successful examples of established subsea power projects, where the former showed the exceptional project execution while the latter helped to unify a single electricity market for the Philippines. Meanwhile, Riau Islands-Singapore and Australia-Asia PowerLink shared the importance of harmonised regulations, government support, and coordinated multi-stakeholder frameworks in ensuring technical, environmental, and financial viability. The discussion also underscored that varying paces of project development across AMS require strong government-to-government support as a catalyst to advance cross-border interconnectors, not only from policymakers, but also through sustained engagement by regulators and utilities. The panel discussion underlined that successful interconnector projects depend on transparent governance, fair revenue sharing, and cooperative risk allocation between governments, utilities, and private investors. Participants agreed that comprehensive feasibility studies and early-stage planning are essential to identify risks and optimise project design from the outset. Effective governance and coordination, supported by clear roles, shared accountability, and intergovernmental cooperation are vital to ensure timely and cost-efficient project delivery. Rob Rome also added that “one-team” mindset is important to the success of project development, showcased under Viking Link project. The establishment of a harmonised regional regulatory framework would help streamline permits, approvals, and cross-border collaboration. Finally, continued regional investment in supply-chain development, capacity building, and vessel availability will be crucial to support the growing scale and complexity of subsea interconnector projects across ASEAN. 
Photo 6. Panellist of Day 3 Panel Discussion, discussing project development lessons learned. Additionally, Assistant VP and Head of Visayas System Operations of NGCP, Neil Martin E. Modina (center) and Director of Volta Forensic,
