13 New Downstream Projects to Be Built, Investment Reaching Rp 239 Trillion

Thirteen additional downstream projects with a total investment of Rp 239 trillion will soon be built. This was stated by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia. Quoting from Money, this information was conveyed to the President during a limited meeting in Hambalang, West Java, on Wednesday (25/3/2026). According to Bahlil, these 13 projects are different from the 20 first-phase downstream projects. The first-phase projects are partly at the groundbreaking stage, and the rest are scheduled to begin next month. In addition to downstream processing, the government is also promoting the optimisation of domestic energy potential, including the development of ethanol and biodiesel based on crude palm oil (CPO) to reduce import dependency. “The President has instructed us to optimise all existing energy potentials, whether ethanol or biodiesel from CPO,” said Bahlil. On that occasion, Bahlil also reported the latest conditions of energy and mineral commodity prices, particularly coal and nickel. He emphasised that there have been no policy changes regarding the management of both commodities, while continuing to monitor global market dynamics. The government is opening room for measured relaxation in coal and nickel production, while maintaining a balance between supply and demand as well as prices. Bahlil also signalled an adjustment to the nickel benchmark mineral price (HPM). This policy is being considered so that the country obtains a fairer value from the utilisation of these strategic minerals. “Most likely, the HPM for nickel, I will increase,” he said. President Prabowo, according to Bahlil, gave special instructions for natural resource management to prioritise national interests, preserve natural resources as strategic national assets, and promote the optimisation of state revenues from the mineral sector.