(Nov 3): Indonesia will prioritise domestic energy needs over exporting electricity, according to a government minister, complicating a plan for the country to supply renewable power to Singapore.

“Indonesia will not be able to export electricity in the near future,” Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said on Monday. “We still need electricity ourselves.” The minister appeared to soften his tone in subsequent remarks to local media, in which he said that exports would be possible only if prices met Indonesia’s requirements.

The comments cloud the outlook for a plan for Singapore to import clean energy from Indonesia via a subsea power cable. The city-state, which relies on imported natural gas for most of its electricity, has also approved other deals to bring in renewable power from Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia. The agreements are necessary if Singapore is to meet its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Indonesia’s focus on its own power needs may also jeopardise the development of a Southeast Asian grid, an ambitious plan to connect the electricity networks of a region with around 700 million people.

Relations between Singapore and Indonesia have run into turbulence in recent months over haze from fires in the archipelago that has spread to neighbouring countries and a decision by Jakarta to reduce gas exports to the city-state.

Singapore’s Energy Market Authority didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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