Conference Summary

Hydropower remains a key technology supporting the energy transition in Southeast Asia while strengthening regional energy security. Large hydropower across the ASEAN market currently accounts for around 54.8 GW of installed capacity as of 2024. The largest capacities are located in Vietnam (23.7 GW), followed by Lao PDR (10.1 GW), Indonesia (7 GW), and Malaysia (6.2 GW), according to IRENA.

Laos is increasingly emerging as a regional hub for hydropower development in Southeast Asia, exporting electricity to neighbouring countries. Under the LTMS-PIP cross-border electricity trading initiative, Laos exported up to 100 MW of renewable electricity to Singapore through transmission infrastructure passing through Thailand and Malaysia. Following the project’s initial success, export capacity was doubled to 200 MW in September 2024.

As Southeast Asian countries integrate higher shares of variable renewable energy into their power mix, technologies such as large-scale pumped storage hydro will play an increasingly important role in providing grid stability, system flexibility, and renewable integration support.

Although pumped storage capacity in the region remains relatively small and is mainly concentrated in Thailand and the Philippines, substantial potential exists across multiple development sites. Governments are advancing projects and strengthening regulatory frameworks to attract investment in this segment.

Vietnam is investing actively in pumped storage hydro to manage solar and wind intermittency under its revised power development plan. The Philippines’ Green Energy Auction scheme is also attracting investor interest in pumped hydro projects. Meanwhile, Sarawak aims to scale its renewable energy capacity to 10 GW by 2030, positioning itself as a regional battery for ASEAN through large-scale hydro, floating solar, and pumped hydro storage. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are exploring hybrid hydro-solar projects to enhance system flexibility.

Despite these developments, several challenges remain. High upfront capital costs and long payback periods limit private sector participation, while climate variability is increasingly affecting hydropower generation patterns, requiring adjustments in project design, site selection, and operational strategies.

The mission of this conference is to examine the opportunities, challenges, and outlook for hydropower and pumped storage development in Southeast Asia. The conference will explore the strategies being adopted by countries to develop, manage, and operate hydropower assets while showcasing emerging technologies, best practices in construction and operations, and noteworthy projects across the region.