ADB to Back $70 Billion Energy and Digital Infrastructure Push by 2035

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, May 3, 2026 (KPT) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced Sunday it will support US$70 billion in new energy and digital infrastructure initiatives by 2035 to connect power grids, expand electricity trade and improve broadband access across Asia and the Pacific.

“Energy and digital access will define the region’s future,” ADB President Masato Kanda said. “By linking power grids and digital networks across borders, we can lower costs, expand opportunity, and bring reliable access to hundreds of millions of people.”

The Pan‑Asia Power Grid Initiative will mobilize US$50 billion to integrate renewable energy across borders, build 22,000 circuit‑kilometers of transmission lines, and improve energy access for 200 million people. ADB expects to finance half from its own resources and raise the rest through cofinancing.

The Asia‑Pacific Digital Highway will mobilize US$20 billion to expand fiber networks, satellite links and regional data centers, aiming to provide first‑time broadband access to 200 million people and faster connectivity for another 450 million. A new AI innovation center in Seoul will support training for 3 million people.

Together, the initiatives are expected to create nearly 5 million jobs and cut regional emissions by 15 percent.