32nd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting opens in Laos

The 32nd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) opened here Tuesday in the Lao capital with the theme of Power Integration for ASEAN Prosperity.

Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong said at the opening ceremony that energy has become an important sector in combating the effects of climate change and ensuring sustainability of economic growth in the ASEAN region.

"In order to sustain the momentum of ASEAN's socio-economic growth, the demand for energy will continue to increase," he added.

Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Soulivong Daravong, in his introductory remarks, expressed the belief that the meeting would contribute to greater cooperation, exchange of experience, and the mutual benefits of connected relationships.

During the meeting, ministers will discuss reports on the development of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation ( APAEC) 2016-2020, provide recommendations to the related work teams, and examine the pilot Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore Power Integration Project.

In an interview with the official Lao news agency KPL on Tuesday, Daovong Phonkeo, Lao director general of energy policy and planning department under the Ministry of Energy and Mines explained that the plan for integration of a high-voltage power grid network between Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore would be proposed at the 32nd AMEM.

According to Daovong, the plan will be proposed by the Lao minister of energy and mines.

"If the plan is successful, we will further expand to other ASEAN member countries," Daovong said.

"So far, the power grid connection has only covered neighbouring countries such as Laos and Thailand, or Thailand and Malaysia."

In his introductory remarks, Soulivong also commented on the need for increased power connectivity infrastructure.

"To meet its growing demand for energy, particularly for sustainable power utilization, we need to think about modalities that will connect all member countries' national grids to become a regional grid, or the so-called ASEAN Power Grid," he said.

During the parallel AMEM+3 meetings, ASEAN+3 energy ministers will appraise the progress in the areas of energy security on oil, coal and civilian nuclear energy, oil and natural gas markets, and renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation.