SP Group

SP Group (abbreviation: SP); formerly known as Singapore Power, is a government-owned electricity and gas distribution company in Singapore. Through its subsidiaries, the company is the sole electrical grid and gas grid operator in Singapore, and provides electricity and gas transmission, distribution services, and market support services to more than a million customers in Singapore.

SP Group
TypeState-owned through Temasek Holdings
Founded1 October 1995 (1995-10-01) (as Singapore Power)
28 February 2017 (2017-02-28) (as SP Group)[1]
ParentTemasek Holdings (1995–present)
Singapore Power Building on Somerset Road.

History

SP Group (formerly known as Singapore Power) is the corporatised entity of the former electricity and gas departments of the Public Utilities Board. SP Group was first incorporated as a commercial entity on 1 October 1995 as Singapore Power and Gas to take over the electricity and gas businesses of the state provider, the Public Utilities Board. Since 1995, SP Group has been wholly owned by Singapore investment fund Temasek which in turn is wholly owned by the Singapore government.[2] The company was renamed "SP Group" from 28 February 2017 onwards.[3]

Structure

Major subsidiaries
  • PowerGas – The sole licensed gas transporter and gas system operator, transporting both natural gas and town gas. It owns and operates all the gas pipelines in Singapore and is responsible for delivering gas to users through its gas pipe network. It operates a town gas system as well as a natural gas system which is transmitted from Sumatra.
  • SP PowerAssets – Formed in October 2003, it is the sole provider of electricity transmission and distribution services in Singapore. It holds the Transmission License and owns the electricity transmission and distribution Network of Singapore including major transmission and distribution assets like substations and underground cables with an approximate network value of S$6.5billion (as at 31 Mar 6)
  • SP PowerGrid – Formed in October 2003, has been appointed by SP PowerAssets to manage its business including the management of the transmission network and the operation of the distribution network. ISP PowerGrid has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification in network development and management. Its wide range of expertise includes network planning, project management, network management, control and communications and condition monitoring.
  • SP Services – Provides integrated customer services for electricity, water and piped gas supplies in Singapore. It is the Market Support Services Licenses providing meter reading services, meter data management, facilitates customer registration and transfer between retailers, serves as a conduit to buy electricity from the wholesale electricity market on behalf of retailers or contestable consumers, provide electricity at published tariffs for residential and small businesses. It also provides billing and payment collection for utility providers including for electricity transmission, water charges, sanitary appliance fee, gas supply charges, and refuse charges.
  • SP Telecom – Provides Network infrastructure provider SP Telecom owns, builds and powers communications and infrastructure services in Singapore.

Major joint ventures
  • Power Automation – a joint-venture company set up by SP Group with Siemens in July 1995 to offer engineering services in protection systems, substation control and energy management and information systems across Asia Pacific.
  • Singapore District Cooling – a joint-venture company set up by SP Group with Dalkia in September 2000 as a partner to implement the pilot District Cooling project at Marina South New Downtown. District Cooling is a new urban utility service involving the centralised production of chilled water for distribution to commercial buildings for air-conditioning purposes.

Other investments
  • AusNet Services – Through its wholly owned subsidiary Singapore Power International Pte Ltd, SP Group owns a 31.1% stake in AusNet Services. AusNet Services's assets include electricity transmission and distribution networks, and gas distribution assets in Victoria, Australia. AusNet Services is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
  • SPI Seosan Co-generation and Water Treatment – SP Group's investment in South Korea provides electricity, steam and water treatment services to Samsung Total Petrochemicals Co Ltd, one of the largest petrochemical companies in Korea.
  • EverPower IPP – SP Group's investment in Taiwan comprises a 25% stake in Ever Power IPP Company, an independent power producer, which supplies electricity to Taiwan Power Company.

Controversies

Following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Australia, over 600 victims signed a class action lawsuit against SPI Electricity Pty Ltd, the electricity distribution company of SP AusNet, an Australian energy company that was 51% owned by then Singapore Power.[4] The lawsuit alleged negligence and breach of duty in the service and maintenance of powerlines controlled by them in the state of Victoria. In particular, the lawsuit alleged the power company negligently failed to fit a protective device on the power line, alleging that it contributed to it breaking and starting a bushfire in the Kilmore East area on 7 February 2009.[5]

In 2015, then Singapore Power dismissed and subsequently reported to Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau four employees: Ridhuan Ramli, Suffiandi Mohamad Suhaimi, Kutty Hassan and Jasman Tiron, who had suspectedly accepted bribes of between S$50 and S$450 for “not creating difficulties” for China Construction South Pacific during an installation inspection.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Transforming to serve customers better" (PDF). SP Group. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  2. Maiden, Malcolm. "China's State Grid powers up in Australia". Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  3. "Transforming to serve customers better" (PDF). SP Group. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  4. "Singapore Power says it's not a defendant in lawsuit over Australian bushfire". Channel NewsAsia. 19 June 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  5. "Hundreds sign for bushfire class action". Ninemsn. 19 June 2010. Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  6. Chelvan, Vanessa Paige. "Four ex-Singapore Power employees charged with corruption". CNA. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
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