Jakarta. Indonesia will not export electricity in the near future because domestic energy needs must take priority, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said Monday, casting uncertainty over a previously announced agreement to supply up to 3 gigawatts of clean electricity to Singapore.

The announcement marks a significant shift in tone from June 2025, when Bahlil said Indonesia had agreed to export renewable electricity, primarily generated from solar power, to its neighboring country.

"Indonesia will not be able to export electricity in the near future. We still need electricity ourselves," Bahlil told participants at the Mineral and Coal Convention and Exhibition in Jakarta.

His remarks raise questions about the timetable for the planned cross-border electricity trade, which was intended to support regional energy cooperation and Singapore's transition toward cleaner power sources.

Under the agreement announced in June 2025, Indonesia aimed to export up to 3 gigawatts of electricity to Singapore. The arrangement was signed by Bahlil and Singapore's Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Tan See Leng.

The Indonesian government subsequently pursued negotiations over the pricing of the proposed electricity exports, including discussions led by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry in July 2026.

However, Bahlil's latest comments suggest that the government is unwilling to proceed with exports until it is satisfied that domestic electricity requirements can be met.

Bahlil Warns Danantara Against Foreign Lobbying
Bahlil also warned state investment agency Danantara against pressure from foreign governments or companies seeking to purchase Indonesian electricity.

He stressed that the legal authority to issue electricity export permits rests with the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, not Danantara.

"I have told Danantara not to be swayed by lobbying. Electricity export permits are issued by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, not Danantara. National sovereignty and the authority of the state must come first," Bahlil said.

President Prabowo Subianto had previously assigned Danantara a role in overseeing the technical implementation and investment aspects of the proposed cross-border electricity projects.

Singapore has been seeking cleaner electricity imports to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and support its long-term decarbonization goals.

Indonesia, with its substantial renewable energy potential, has been viewed as a prospective supplier, particularly through large-scale solar power projects linked to Singapore by subsea transmission infrastructure.

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