Photo 1. Group Photo of AIMS III Phase 3 Validation Workshop participants 

The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), under the ASEAN Power Grid Advancement Program (APG-AP), successfully coordinated the Validation Workshop for ASEAN Interconnection Masterplan Study (AIMS) III Phase 3 from 11 to 12 June 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in collaboration with the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership of the United Nations Office for Project Services (ETP-UNOPS), Clean, Affordable, and Secure Energy (CASE) for Southeast Asia, and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). This program was also supported by EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) Energy. As part of the AIMS III Phase 3 project, the workshop convened the representatives of all ten (10) ASEAN Member States (AMS)  under the AIMS III Phase 3 Working Group, facilitating discussions on the key recommendations of the three work package under AIMS III Phase 3, namely related to the minimum requirements of multilateral power trade (MPT), integrated resource and resilience planning (IRRP), and grid code and minimum technical standards harmonisation. The workshop was also conducted in the interest of supporting the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Programme Area No. 1: ASEAN Power Grid. 

Day 1, 11 June 2025 – Work Package 2: ASEAN-wide IRRP and Work Package 3: Grid Code and Minimum Technical Standards Harmonisation 

Photo 2. Welcoming Remark by Nadhilah Shani, Manager of Power Generation and Interconnection Department at ACE 

The first day of the workshop started with opening remarks from ACE and the APG-AP partners. Nadhilah Shani, Manager of Power Generation and Interconnection (PIN) Department of ACE, started her remark by welcoming esteemed members of the AIMS III Phase 3 Working Group and highlighting the importance of AMS’ involvement in tailoring the recommendations of AIMS III Phase 3 for the operationalisation of the APG Enhanced MOU. Adritha Subbiah, Senior Programmer Manager of ETP-UNOPS continued the remarks by elaborating the APG-AP Program key outputs which highlights the importance of coordination to enhance the implementation the integrated power network, the significance of a concrete roadmap to foster a systematic stepwise progression of the APG, and the advantage of having pilot project to foster concrete steps toward implementation of APG. Last but not the least, Sascha Oppowa, Project Director of CASE for Southeast Asia, closed the remarks by outlining the key component of the AIMS III Phase 3 Work Packages.  

The agenda is followed by a presentation on the progress of the AIMS III Phase 3, along with the indicative next steps upon the completion of the study, delivered by Akbar Dwi Wahyono, Research Analyst of PIN Department at ACE. He reiterated the importance of this workshop as a way to consult the proposed recommendations of AIMS III Phase 3. The session is continued with a presentation about the results and recommendations from Work Package 2: ASEAN-wide IRRP which is led by DNV as one of AIMS III Phase 3 consultants. Representatives from DNV highlighted recommendations based on their ASEAN IRRP framework assessment, lessons from other countries and the vision for future regional IRRP, including the IRRP methodology adoption and the proposed scenarios. The presentation is further discussed in a breakout session focusing on the relevancy of DNV’s findings with the country-level and regional ASEAN context, challenges and opportunities for operationalizing the recommendations, and suggestions for the next step. 

Photo 3. Breakout Discussion led by DNV on Work Package 2: ASEAN-wide IRRP 

The workshop continues with DNV presenting the results and recommendations of WP 3: Harmonisation of Grid Code and Minimum Operational Technical Standards. The session highlights case studies from other regional cooperations, proposed structure for grid codes, and anticipation for high variable renewable energy (VRE) in the future. DNV leads the roundtable discussion for Work Package 3 to have a more detailed perspective on the results’ relevancy with each country and regional ASEAN context, the challenges and opportunities when implementing the recommendations, and the possible next steps. 

Photo 4. Breakout Discussion led by DNV on Work Package 3: Grid Code Harmonization 

Day 2, 12 June 2025 – Work Package 1: Minimum Requirements for MPT 

The second day of AIMS III Phase 3 Validation Workshop moves on to the Work Package 1 of the study and begins with Ricardo, one of AIMS III Phase 3 consultants, presenting the overview of the Work Package 1 progress and a look at the analysis of the existing landscape of ASEAN electricity market and proposed market model design. Ricardo points out market development pathways and building blocks for ASEAN’s diverse landscape. To follow–up the relevancy of the consultants’ findings, challenges, opportunities, and the next steps to realise their recommendations, the session is followed up by a breakout discussion with AMS representatives. 

Photo 5. Breakout Discussion led by Ricardo on Work Package: Minimum Requirement for MPT 

Representatives from Ricardo continued their findings and in-depth discussions of Work Package 1, covering transmission capacity and ancillary services; tariffs, third-party access, and data sharing framework; and potential involvement of APG institutions in the MPT implementation; and the roadmap and strategy for MPT itself.   

Lastly, the updates and MPT pilot project are addressed in a presentation delivered by Kieran Clarke from UN-ESCAP. This session discusses the potential mechanisms to support MPT based on the AIMS III Phase 3 recommendations. AMS representatives are looking forward to anticipating the sub-regional MPT pilot, especially with some country members already possess experience in implementing sub-regional programmes and established electricity market. Lessons learned from other countries could help provide the groundwork for the sub-regional MPT and its expansion from sub-regional to regional level. The ideation of MPT pilot project was also being discussed with the AIMS III Working Group separately between BIMP countries which represented East-Subregion and LTMS+ countries which represented West Subregion.  

Photo 6. Breakout Discussion to brainstorm the ideation of MPT Pilot Project with BIMP and LTMS+ countries  

Akbar concluded the AIMS III Phase 3 Validation Workshop, summarising the key findings and recommendations that have been thoroughly delivered by DNV and Ricardo, the collective input from AMS representatives, and the remaining project timeline for APG-AP Output 3: AIMS III Phase 3 Analytical Work. Moving forward, the AIMS III Phase 3 Working Group will continue refining the final report prior to its consolidation to the AMS and continue preparing the MPT pilot project implementation. 

This workshop emphasized the importance of gathering perspectives from AMS and knowledge exchange which will improve the analysis and recommendations of AIMS III Phase 3 that best represents the needs of the member states. ACE is committed to lead efforts in fostering collaboration with AMS with the support from development partners through the facilitation of intergovernmental cooperation that highlights ventures to open the way for ASEAN clean energy transition.