ASEAN's regional approach to energy security: taking member states beyond national and commercial interests?

This paper by Group Captain Philip Tammen examines ASEAN's regional approach to energy security, which is based on an active agenda of regional collaboration, seeking to minimise the duplication of infrastructure while promoting economic development. The paper considers conventional energy sources, as well as civil nuclear power, and discusses several key initiatives under consideration, including a power grid and trans‐ASEAN gas pipeline.

The paper argues that while the ASEAN energy strategy is pragmatic in conception, it struggles in delivery, not least because of the host of technical, commercial and national interest problems confronting the regional plan. It concludes that the key electricity, gas and nuclear power projects are all yet to achieve ASEAN's plans, and that there are real questions as to their eventual implementation.

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