Tuas Power to build hydrogen-ready power plant by 2031

AI generated

SINGAPORE — A hydrogen-ready natural gas power plant to be built by local electricity generator Tuas Power is slated to begin operations in 2031.

The combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility – which will be housed in Tuas Power Station – will have a capacity of 670 megawatts (MW), enough to power up to about 1.2 million four-room flats a year.

The plant can burn up to 30 per cent hydrogen – a cleaner fuel – with natural gas making up the rest, to generate electricity. It can also use diesel as a back-up fuel when needed.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) announced the right to build, own and operate a new CCGT generating unit to Tuas Power on Aug 20.

This came after the authority in April called for energy companies to build up to three new hydrogen-compatible power plants in 2031 and 2032 to help meet Singapore’s future electricity needs.

With this award, there will be at least 11 hydrogen-ready natural gas power plants in Singapore by 2032, including four that were completed in 2025.

Tuas Power said on Aug 20 that the new plant will not only help to meet Singapore’s growing electricity demand, but replace ageing generators that are due to retire over the next decade. The plant is scheduled to operate by December 2031, it added.

From 2024, all new and repowered natural gas power plants need to be 10 per cent more efficient and be able to draw on at least 30 per cent hydrogen, when the low-carbon energy source becomes viable in the future.

Hydrogen is considered a clean fuel as it does not produce any CO2 when burned. Natural gas, on the other hand, is a fossil fuel.

Singapore’s electricity demand is expected to grow rapidly over the next several years, driven by strong economic growth, transport electrification as well as the expansion of energy-intensive sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing and data centres, said EMA in a statement.

The energy regulator forecasts that Singapore’s peak electricity demand is expected to grow by between 2.4 per cent and 4.8 per cent annually over the next 10 years. Peak demand refers to the highest amount of electricity used in a specific period, much like the “rush hour” of power used.

By 2031, the peak demand is projected to reach between 9.6 gigawatt (GW) and 11.4 GW. Singapore’s peak demand in 2025 was around 8GW.

The call for new power plants in April came after four back-up power units were completed in 2025. Also known as fast-start plants, they are designed to kick-start within minutes if there is a sudden shortfall in power supply.

Electricity retailer PacificLight Power completed its two 50MW back-up units in June 2025, and EMA subsidiary Meranti Power launched its two 340MW fast-start units in October 2025.

Keppel launched its 600MW hydrogen-compatible plant in May while Sembcorp is expected to launch its 600MW hydrogen-compatible plant in 2026.

YTL PowerSeraya is slated to build its 600MW hydrogen-compatible plant by 2027, followed by PacificLight Power’s 670MW facility which is scheduled for 2029.