Indonesia will not export electricity to Singapore in the near future because the domestic market still requires power, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia announced on Monday, November 2, 2026. Speaking at the Minerba Convex 2026 event in Jakarta, Bahlil warned the state investment body BPI Danantara against entertaining lobbying efforts from Singapore regarding pricing agreements or export permissions.
Electricity Exports and Pricing Disputes with Singapore
The government’s decision to withhold electricity exports stems from ongoing domestic needs and unresolved price negotiations. Although Indonesia and Singapore signed a memorandum of understanding back in mid-2025 covering green electricity exports, green industrial zones, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a single package, actual shipments have stalled over commercial terms. Bahlil previously noted on July 7, 2026, that any eventual power sales must use a fair pricing structure where both sides benefit. According to Bloomberg Technoz, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has already formulated and submitted formal pricing proposals to representatives of the buying nation.
Bahlil drew a sharp institutional boundary during his remarks, emphasizing that authorization over energy exports rests solely with the Ministry of ESDM rather than Danantara. I have already told Danantara, do not let yourselves be lobbied. There is no such thing. That permit is in ESDM, not Danantara,
Bahlil stated. He added that national sovereignty and the interests of the country’s 280 million citizens remain his primary considerations. Meanwhile, Bloomberg Technoz reported that Bahlil explicitly cautioned Danantara against yielding to outside pressure aimed at driving down export prices.
Did You Know? Indonesia currently imports electricity from Malaysia through a cross-border hydropower arrangement running via Kalimantan, which Bahlil described as a mutually beneficial arrangement featuring fair pricing.
Rencana ekspor listrik ke Singapura belum bisa direalisasikan. Menteri ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia menegaskan kebutuhan dalam negeri menjadi prioritas dan meminta Danantara tidak terpengaruh lobi Singapura.Bagaimana kelanjutan rencana ekspor listrik RI? #IDXChannel… pic.twitter.com/I0kmfZFDuV
Banning natural resource transit through intermediary countries
Beyond the power sector, Bahlil issued broader directives on Monday, November 2, 2026, ordering officials to halt the transit of Indonesian natural resources through intermediary countries like Singapore before final delivery to buyers in China, Japan, or South Korea. According to reporting by Kompas.id and CNBC Indonesia instructed the Ministry’s Director General of Oil and Gas, the upstream oil and gas regulator SKK Migas, and the Director General of Mineral and Coal to mandate direct shipments. Tri Winarno, the Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of ESDM, noted that Singapore records substantial coal export figures despite possessing no domestic mining areas, estimating that roughly 50 to 60 million tons of coal pass through or are recorded via the neighboring nation.
Future Outlook for Cross-Border Energy Trade
While the Ministry of ESDM maintains that Jakarta remains open to selling electricity abroad under equitable conditions, no specific timeline has been provided for resuming negotiations.
Prioritizing domestic power needs over Singapore exports
Why has Indonesia decided against exporting electricity to Singapore?
The government decided against immediate power exports because Indonesia still requires its electricity generation to satisfy domestic energy consumption needs.
Who holds the legal authority to issue energy export permits in Indonesia?
Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that the authority to grant export permits belongs exclusively to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and not to the state body Danantara.
How does Indonesia currently handle other regional electricity arrangements?
Indonesia participates in a cross-border electricity collaboration with Malaysia, importing hydropower through Kalimantan under terms that officials describe as mutually beneficial.
How will stricter direct-shipping mandates for coal and LNG reshape Southeast Asia’s maritime trade routes in the coming years?
Bahlil Lahadalia menegaskan kebutuhan listrik dalam negeri masih menjadi prioritas.Bahkan, Bahlil meminta Danantara tidak menerima lobi terkait sumber daya alam Indonesia.Menurutnya, izin ekspor listrik merupakan kewenangan Kementerian ESDM, bukan Danantara. pic.twitter.com/IbWVhm7jor
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https://t.co/3Rjkp4SPtqMenteri Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia menyebut Indonesia masih bisa melanjutkan ekspor listrik ke Singapura jika harga transaksinya menguntungkan Indonesia dan mengikuti ketentuan pemerintah.“Selama harganya cocok! Selama… pic.twitter.com/SJHCRXpx2r”
Indonesia masih membuka peluang ekspor listrik ke negara lain, tetapi Bahlil Lahadalia menegaskan harga harus sesuai perhitungan pemerintah.Bahlil meminta Danantara tidak terpengaruh lobi asing untuk menurunkan harga jual listrik yang sudah diajukan Kementerian ESDM. pic.twitter.com/CjtF73MW5D
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