Photo 1. Group Photo of Technical Consultative Meeting between ACE and EVN on APG-related projects in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Vietnam, 18 September 2025 – To further ongoing projects under the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) held a technical consultative meeting with Vietnam Electricity (EVN) with the support from development partners. The meeting formed part of ACE’s engagement with ASEAN Member States aimed at aligning regional power interconnection projects with national priorities, in line with the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II: 2021 –2025. The meeting provided a forum for technical discussions on cross-border power projects in Vietnam, data-sharing procedures, and institutional preparedness to facilitate power commerce.
Prihastya Wiratama, Project Manager of ASEAN Power Interconnection at ACE, opened the meeting by expressing appreciation for EVN’s collaboration and reiterating the importance of strengthening cooperation to advance APG initiatives. The remarks also outlined the objectives of the Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach for Accelerating Sustainable Energy Transition (MPA-ASET), a World Bank-supported programme that provides financial and technical support for regional renewable energy integration, database strengthening, and feasibility studies on cross-border interconnections.
Following the presentation, discussions moved into Vietnam’s national energy targets and power system planning. The discussion covered the country’s project lists related to APG and highlighted key aspects essential for advancing APG initiatives, including data governance and regulatory alignment. In addition, participants explored existing opportunities and considerations in advancing cross-border electricity trade across ASEAN. The exchanges underscored that comprehensive and accessible information serves as the foundation for developing effective feasibility studies.
Photo 2. EVN representatives sharing insights on Vietnam’s national energy development during the technical consultative meeting.
Active discussions took place throughout the session, with EVN representatives providing insights into Vietnam’s national energy landscape. They outlined the country’s long-term objectives to enhance generation capacity, expand renewable energy integration, and strengthen regional electricity exchanges. These efforts align closely with ASEAN’s collective vision of an interconnected power system that facilitates more reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity supply across the region.
Photo 3. Akbar Dwi Wahyono, Research Analyst at ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), delivering a presentation on the ASEAN Data Sharing Pathfinder Project and Regional Power Market Study.
The second agenda focused on the ASEAN Data Sharing Pathfinder Project and Regional Power Market Roadmap (RPM) Study, presented by Akbar Dwi Wahyono. The former initiative builds on earlier regional efforts to strengthen transparency in power exchange, aiming to establish a standardized reporting framework, address data delays, and improve granularity, while the latter aims to present a comprehensive analysis on challenges and opportunities of ASEAN power market. These two initiatives would involve coordination, not only with EVN and EAV, but also National Electricity System and Market Operation Company Limited (NSMO) as the entity that operates the electricity market transactions in Vietnam. These improvements are seen as critical steps toward enabling more coordinated and transparent multilateral power trading in ASEAN.
The Technical Consultative Meeting in Vietnam marked ACE’s third country engagement under the APG Project Preparation Facility (APG-PPF), following similar activities in Lao PDR and Cambodia. The outcomes from these consultations are expected to inform the next phase of feasibility study preparation, ensuring that APG-related projects are well-coordinated, technically sound, and responsive to national and regional priorities.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue advancing cooperation between ACE and Vietnam in accelerating interconnection projects. Strengthened partnerships and technical exchanges such as these are one of the key enablers for the realisation of ASEAN’s long-term goal.
