Government Opens Tender for 14 Geothermal Working Areas with 732 MW Capacity
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has opened a tender for 14 geothermal working area locations, with a total target capacity of 732 Megawatts (MW). This move is intended to meet the target for the New and Renewable Energy (EBT) mix by utilising the country’s abundant geothermal potential.
The Director General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (EBTKE) at the Ministry of ESDM, Eniya Listiani Dewi, stated that the tender aligns with the Minister of ESDM’s directive to simplify the licensing process in the geothermal sector. She emphasised that regulatory improvements are necessary to ensure that investment interest in this sector continues to rise and provides competitive margins for developers.
“This is the Minister’s direction to shorten geothermal permit regulations, and we are opening tenders for 14 locations. This was an instruction from the Minister delivered at the Geothermal Summit. Tenders are being opened for all of them, with a target of 732 MW,” she explained during The 12th Indonesia EBTKE ConEx 2026 event at Jiexpo on Wednesday (2/9/2026).
The 732 MW capacity target is part of a plan to add 5.2 Gigawatts (GW) of geothermal capacity as outlined in the General Electricity Supply Plan (RUPTL). The government is striving to optimise investment attractiveness so that the proportion of geothermal energy in the national energy mix can increase.
“With this simultaneous opening of tenders, we hope geothermal investment can be streamlined so that developers’ profit margins can rise to double digits,” she said.
As of the first semester of 2026, geothermal’s contribution to the national energy mix was recorded at only 1.84%. Overall, the installed capacity of new and renewable energy in Indonesia has reached 16.32 GW, though investment growth is considered relatively flat compared to long-term targets.
“We hope this tender can also achieve a higher energy mix. In this regard, we can report that the national energy mix achievement has only reached 17.3% this semester,” she concluded.
In August 2026, the Ministry of ESDM indeed tendered 14 potential geothermal working area (WKP) locations to both national and international investors. This step is expected to drive investment and accelerate the establishment of Geothermal Power Plants (PLTP) and the direct utilisation of geothermal energy, providing benefits to surrounding communities.
“Let us push geothermal potential to become a mainstay energy source to strengthen Indonesia’s energy security and transition,” wrote the Directorate General of EBTKE in an Instagram post.
According to the Ministry of ESDM, the 14 geothermal working area (WKP) locations being tendered are as follows:
WKP Sembalun Province, NTB: Reserves 11 MW, COD Capacity 10 MW (2033)
WKP Guci, Central Java: Reserves 20 MW, COD Capacity 20 MW (2033)
WKP Suwawa, Gorontalo: Reserves 20 MW
WKP Gunung Ciremai, West Java: Reserves 40 MW, COD Capacity 25 MW (2033)
WKP Marana, Central Sulawesi: Reserves 28 MW
WKP Gunung Pandan, East Java: Reserves 30 MW, COD Capacity 60 MW (2032)
WKP Sipoholon Ria-ria, North Sumatra: Reserves 35 MW
WKP Gunung Endut, Banten: Reserves 38 MW, COD Capacity 35 MW (2033)
WKP Songgoriti, East Java: Reserves 40 MW, COD Capacity 40 MW (2033)
WKP Danau Ranau, Lampung and South Sumatra: Reserves 42 MW, COD Capacity 40 MW (2033)
WKP Gunung Wilis, East Java: Reserves 50 MW, COD Capacity 40 MW (2033)
WKP Lainea, Southeast Sulawesi: Reserves 68 MW
WKP Gunung Galunggung, West Java: Reserves 125 MW, COD Capacity 110 MW (2033)
WKP Gunung Iyang Argopuro, East Java: Reserves 185 MW, COD Capacity 55 MW (2033)