DPR: Masela Project a New Milestone for National Energy Sovereignty

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) for Economic and Financial Affairs, Sari Yuliati, stated that the groundbreaking of the Abadi LNG National Strategic Project (PSN) in the Masela Block, Maluku, marks a new milestone for national energy sovereignty. According to her, the project, valued at hundreds of trillions of rupiah, is a crucial momentum for strengthening national energy security, driving economic growth, and accelerating equitable development in eastern Indonesia. “The groundbreaking of the Masela project is not merely the start of energy infrastructure construction; it is a symbol of Indonesia’s new optimism in realising energy sovereignty, strengthening national competitiveness, and opening new economic growth centres in eastern Indonesia,” Sari said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday. She assessed that the commencement of the Masela LNG PSN is proof that President Prabowo Subianto’s administration is serious about delivering productive, long-term oriented investments that impact public welfare. The project is believed to have a multiplier effect on the national economy by creating jobs, mobilising supporting industries, increasing MSME activity, strengthening state revenue, and boosting infrastructure development in the Maluku region and its surroundings. The energy sector, she continued, remains one of the main pillars in realising the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. Therefore, she urged the acceleration of national strategic projects to be completed on time and on target, providing maximum benefit to the people. “Indonesia has extraordinary natural resource potential. The challenge is no longer just about having energy reserves, but how to manage them professionally, transparently, sustainably, and for the greatest prosperity of the people,” she said. Sari appreciated the ministries, agencies, local governments, and investors who have collaborated to realise the Masela LNG PSN. She also confirmed that the DPR will carry out its oversight function regarding the project’s implementation in the future. “With good collaboration, I am optimistic this project will become one of the main drivers of Indonesia’s economic growth in the coming decades,” she said. President Prabowo inaugurated the groundbreaking of the Abadi LNG Masela PSN virtually from Jakarta on Thursday (16/7). The President stated that the Masela PSN is a crucial project that has been awaited for nearly three decades. He stressed that the project’s construction must proceed according to target so that it can immediately provide benefits to the community and support national energy security. “Development must not be hampered. It must be completed in the shortest possible time,” Prabowo said in his remarks. Meanwhile, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Masela LNG PSN was led directly by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia in Lermatang Village, Tanimbar Islands Regency, Maluku. In his speech, Bahlil said the Masela LNG PSN is one of the strategic projects that will strengthen national energy security while acting as a driver of economic development in eastern Indonesia. He explained that the project has an investment value of approximately 21 billion US dollars, or around Rp342 trillion, including an additional investment of 1 billion US dollars for the implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. The project is designed to produce 9.5 million tonnes of LNG per year, approximately 35,000 barrels of condensate per day, and up to 150 million cubic feet of piped gas per day. He stressed that the majority of the gas production from the Masela Block is prioritised to meet national energy needs. “And a maximum of 40 percent is for export,” Bahlil said.