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ASEAN, ADB convene first Energy Resilience Dialogue at Special SOME; agree next steps toward June roundtable
Date published: Jan 20 2026 04:00 PM
MEDIA RELEASE
20 January 2026
ASEAN, ADB convene first Energy Resilience Dialogue at Special SOME; agree next steps toward June roundtable
Bohol, Philippines — ASEAN Member States (AMS) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted the inaugural energy resilience information session during the ASEAN Special Senior Officials’ Meeting on Energy (Special SOME), aimed at advancing a shared regional agenda to keep energy systems reliable, affordable, and secure amid climate risks, rapid technology shifts, and supply-chain pressures.
The half-day information session helped frame ASEAN’s concept of energy resilience across system resilience, particularly renewable energy integration; climate resilience, given ASEAN’s exposure to extreme weather and climate variability; and supply-chain resilience as the region expands clean energy and grid infrastructure.
“Energy resilience is no longer a future concept; it is an urgent operating requirement,” said Undersecretary and Philippine Senior Official on Energy (SOE) Leader Felix William B. Fuentebella. “By engaging early with our ASEAN partners, we are building a common foundation for policies and investments that keep our energy systems stable, adaptable, and ready for shocks, whether from extreme weather, disruptions in fuel or equipment supply, or rapid demand changes.”
“For ordinary Filipinos, we have more partners in addressing resiliency towards fewer power interruptions, more predictable electricity costs, and stronger continuity of essential services, so homes can keep the lights on, small businesses can stay open, and hospitals, schools, and transport systems can operate reliably even during crises,” he added.
The meeting was also attended by the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), and specialized energy bodies, such as Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) and ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE).
"ASEAN's vision for a connected energy future faces a trio of intensifying challenges, including grid stability pressures as renewables scale, climate impacts on assets, and global supply chain disruptions for critical components. The practical question is how to convert ambition into concrete, resilient action, so the vision translates into secure, on-the-ground implementation,” said Keiju Mitsuhashi, Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Energy Director, covering Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
To anchor the discussions in evidence and regional context, participants reviewed indicators presented by ACE and ADB that could help align perspectives of the current regional energy resilience landscape.
As an outcome of the session, AMS and ADB agreed to identify priority areas anchored on the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) program areas and integrate resiliency in the respective Sub-Sector Networks, for deeper discussion at the June 2026 Energy Resilience Roundtable, with indicative messages to be elevated to the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) and the ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting discussions.
Undersecretary and PH SOE Leader Fuentebella emphasized that building a technical foundation early helps ensure future cooperation, policy reforms, investments, and financing initiatives, remains coherent, comparable, and responsive to shared regional risks. ###