This case focuses on the Singaporean government’s strategy for implementing smart grid technology as a means to further empower its energy dependent modern economy. The Intelligent Energy System (IES), a Singaporean government led smart grid pilot project, can be seen as a part of a long term urban development plan to: invest in critical energy infrastructure ahead of demand to make markets more efficient, open new areas for economic development, and strengthen the energy security. This case discusses the rationales behind the IES project, the government’s aspiration to be a ‘sustainable living lab’ in a global context, and its implications for other countries and megacities. As a city-state Singapore has similar capacity and significance of megacities that are progressively seen as substantial economies by themselves able pursue individual infrastructure development towards sustainability with global impacts.