Indonesia says PLN coal supply remains secure despite blackouts

Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said PLN’s coal supply remains secure even after recent power outages. Speaking in a Sunday statement from Jakarta, Lahadalia argued that outages were primarily caused by PLN’s operational and power distribution problems, not by a shortage of coal for generating plants. He noted the government anticipated PLN’s fuel needs by requiring domestic coal producers to fulfill supply obligations. PLN’s national coal demand is 154 million tons annually, while the government allocated production mandates of 180 to 190 million tons to domestic producers—well above requirement. Lahadalia urged PLN to take “measured and comprehensive steps” to prevent further blackouts and to evaluate its operational systems and mitigation efforts. PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo previously attributed outages in Java to technical glitches at two major partner-operated power plants that went offline.