PM Wong on Indonesia gas export cuts: 'We expect all parties to honour their commitments'

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong responded to Indonesia's announcement of gas export cuts to Singapore, stating that "We expect all parties to honour their commitments, and Singapore’s gas importer will take the necessary steps to protect its rights and interests under these contracts".

In his capacity as the People's Action Party's (PAP) secretary-general, PM Wong made these comments in a speech at their awards ceremony and Central Executive Committee (CEC) conference on Oct. 25, 2026.

"The gas supplies are covered by commercial contracts", and Singapore has been preparing for such risks, he clarified.

He added that there is a need to plan ahead for Singapore's energy needs, and that is the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry's (METI) key priority.

"Tan See Leng is overseeing both energy and industry. He is fully energised for this task!"

95% of Singapore's power depends on natural gas

Singapore depends on imported natural gas for about 95 per cent of its power, according to the Ministry of Energy, Trade & Industry’s website.

Natural gas is the cleanest-burning major fossil fuel, and Singapore made the switch to it from fuel oil in the early 2000s.

Mothership previously reported that starting from Oct. 24, Indonesia will begin cutting natural gas exports to Singapore by 31 billion British thermal units per day (BBTUD).

In a media statement on Oct. 24, Singapore's Energy Market Authority said the cut in gas exports is less than 2 per cent of Singapore's total daily gas demand, which stands at more than 1,000 BBTUD.

PM Wong added that "a significant amount" of this gas is imported through pipelines from Indonesia, but Singapore has invested in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals "to import natural gas from different countries, without having to rely on pipelines."

"This gives us more options to manage any disruptions to our gas supply."

Nuclear energy as an option

In his speech, PM Wong said Singapore "must look beyond natural gas" and that the country needs "cleaner sources of power to provide reliable electricity around the clock".

He noted that the government is "studying seriously the potential of nuclear energy" but emphasised that "safety must come first".

"Understandably, there are concerns about the safety of nuclear power in a small and densely populated country like Singapore."

He said: "But, we should not rule out an option simply because it is difficult or controversial."

"We must assess the risks and trade-offs carefully, engage Singaporeans, and eventually make the right decision to secure our energy future."