Ditrolic Energy Holdings Sdn Bhd has received conditional approval from Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) to export and supply up to 600 megawatts alternating current (MWac) of renewable electricity from Johor to Singapore, marking a major milestone in its cross-border clean energy ambitions.
The approval was granted to its subsidiary, Southern Solar Alliance Pte Ltd, enabling the company to move forward with the technical, commercial and regulatory development required before securing final approval for the project.
The proposed export project forms the first phase of the Southern Johor Renewable Energy Corridor (SJREC), a long-term renewable energy initiative jointly developed by Permodalan Darul Ta’zim (PDT), Ditrolic Energy and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Planned over a 15-year period along Johor’s east coast, SJREC is designed to support Malaysia’s domestic energy needs while supplying renewable electricity to Singapore, including developments within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
From left: Ditrolic Energy executive director Michelle Ong; Ditrolic Energy board adviser Sam Ong; Ditrolic Energy group chief executive officer Tham Chee Aun; Singapore’s Energy Market Authority chief executive Phua Kok Keong; Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry permanent secretary Augustin Lee; and Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry deputy secretary Keith Tan during the presentation of the Letter of Conditional Approval.
The initial phase will be powered by approximately four gigawatts-peak (GWp) of solar generation capacity, supported by 5.1 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). The integrated infrastructure is expected to provide a more stable and reliable supply of green electricity.
Ditrolic Energy Group Chief Executive Officer Tham Chee Aun said the conditional approval demonstrates confidence in the project’s technical capability, scale and reliability.
He added that the project highlights the strong collaboration between the Johor state government, the Malaysian Federal Government, Singapore and private sector partners in turning clean energy policies into commercially viable cross-border projects.
The company said the project has already attracted significant market interest, with nearly 90% of its planned electricity output receiving offtake interest from Singapore-based customers across sectors including transport, aviation, ports, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, logistics, real estate and industrial parks.
PDT Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ramlee Rahman said SJREC is expected to position Johor as a regional renewable energy hub capable of serving both local demand and export markets. He noted that the project’s progress under EMA’s conditional approval also supports the long-term development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.
In addition to exports, SJREC will also supply renewable electricity to the domestic market through Malaysia’s Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS) and Self-Consumption (SELCO) programme. The first batch of power purchase agreements with local customers is expected to be signed within the next three months.
The first delivery of green electricity for the Malaysian market is targeted for 2028, while commercial exports to Singapore are expected to commence in 2029, subject to the completion of the new cross-border interconnector and the necessary regulatory approvals in both countries.
