REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Electricity network between Indonesia and Malaysia will be connected soon as ASEAN finalize the interconnection plan of both countries. "The project will begin in 2014," the Secretary General of the Head of ASEAN Power Utilities Authorities (Hapua) Syaiful Bakhri Ibrahim, said on Wednesday.

While feasibility study is ongoing, both countries face some problems in administration. Administration process in Indonesia is very cooperative, but Malaysia is more concealing. Hapua is also still finding the solution for different tax regulation.

Following the development of electricity network in European Union countries, ASEAN plans to connect electricity in its 10 members. "Our target is that all can be connected in 2017," he said. State Electricity Company (PLN) is tasked to build electricity network in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, a subsidiary of PLN, Batam National Electricity (PLN Batam), will soon sell its electricity to Singapore. PLN Batam is cooperating with local company Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMAS) to fulfill the increasing demand in Singapore. "They are taking electricity from Batam of Indonesia and some from Johor in Malaysia," the Executive Director of PLN Batam, Dadan Kurniadipura, said.

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