Malaysia may extend the life of existing coal-fired power plants if it’s necessary to ensure energy security, despite committing to not approve new facilities using the fuel, according to the country’s deputy prime minister.

By Sing Yee Ong“We are looking at all circumstances,” Fadillah Yusof, who is also the minister for the energy transition and water transformation, said in an interview on the sidelines of Singapore International Energy Week on Monday. “At the end of the day, we have to make sure that we have power.”Malaysia, like many Asian nations, has been forced to reassess its energy strategy as the Middle East war choked liquefied natural gas exports from the region, as well as disrupting flows of crude oil. The Southeast Asian country is also facing a sharp rise in electricity demand, driven in part by its goal to be a major hub for data centers.

Malaysia’s last coal-fired power station is currently set to retire in 2044. The nation is looking to reduce dependency on oil and gas and scaling up renewable power, with the aim of expanding clean energy to 70% of the electricity mix by 2050.

If the life of existing coal plants are extended, the country would consider co-firing them with other fuels, Fadillah said. Malaysia has also diversified its oil and gas supplies since the outbreak of the war, including by sourcing crude from Africa, he said.