Industrial Estate Operators Demand Strengthening of Grid Reliability

Industrial estate operators are demanding that the reliability of the national electricity system be strengthened to safeguard industrial activity and the investment climate. The Chairman of the Indonesian Industrial Estates Association (HKI), Akhmad Ma’ruf Maulana, stated that a reliable power supply is a fundamental necessity for industrial zones. His organisation has received numerous complaints regarding blackouts in several areas across Java. HKI is asking the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and the state-owned electricity company PT PLN (Persero) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this issue. Ma’ruf Maulana said that disruptions occurring over a certain duration can affect production processes, goods distribution, and delivery schedules to customers. “We have received various reports regarding blackouts in several areas of Java. We understand that in a very large electricity system, technical disruptions can occur. The most important thing is to ensure the evaluation process is thorough, improvement measures are implemented as quickly as possible, and future mitigation is stronger,” Ma’ruf Maulana said in a statement on Saturday (13/6/2026). According to him, national industry is currently mobilising to support the downstreaming agenda, export increases, data centre development, and the influx of new investment into various regions. All of these agendas require stable and reliable energy infrastructure support. “Electricity reliability is one of the main considerations for investors when determining an investment location. Energy supply certainty provides a sense of security for the business world in planning expansion and long-term business development,” he said. As a form of attention to this issue, HKI has sent a letter to the Minister of ESDM, with copies to the President Director of PT PLN (Persero) and governors across Indonesia, to propose a comprehensive evaluation of the causes of electricity system disruptions, from generation, transmission, and distribution aspects to reserve power adequacy. HKI is also pushing for the strengthening of electricity infrastructure in strategic industrial estates so they have a higher level of reliability. Additionally, HKI proposes that industrial estates receive priority handling when system disruptions occur. Industrial estates are centres of production, export, investment, and employment that contribute significantly to the national and regional economies. “We hope there will be a faster coordination mechanism between PLN and industrial estate managers when disturbances occur. Accurate information and certainty of recovery time greatly assist business operators in managing their operations,” said Ma’ruf Maulana. HKI is also encouraging the acceleration of backup system development, increased network capacity, the construction of substations in rapidly growing industrial estates, and the utilisation of increasingly modern system monitoring technology. In the long term, HKI sees the need for broader scope for the development of captive power, new and renewable energy, as well as designated Electricity Business Areas (Wilus) in certain industrial estates as part of efforts to strengthen national energy resilience. “Indonesia’s industrial growth will continue to increase energy needs. Therefore, the national electricity system needs to be continuously strengthened to keep pace with the needs of the business world and maintain Indonesia’s competitiveness as an investment destination,” Ma’ruf Maulana said. His organisation hopes the government, PLN, regional governments, and all stakeholders can jointly accelerate measures to strengthen the national electricity system so that community and business activities can run well and support Indonesia’s economic growth targets.