Lestari Moerdijat: Transition to a Modern 2045 Electricity Ecosystem is a Must

Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI, Lestari Moerdijat, has stated that Indonesia still faces a number of challenges in developing the national electricity system. One of these is the country’s geographical conditions, which cause a mismatch between centres of energy demand and the locations of available renewable energy sources. According to her, there is still considerable renewable energy potential that has not been optimally explored and utilised, requiring anticipatory steps from stakeholders. “Indonesia faces serious geographical constraints in the form of a spatial mismatch between load centres and renewable energy sources, not all of which have been explored and exploited. This condition certainly creates a number of impacts that we must anticipate together,” she said at the Denpasar 12 Discussion Forum themed “Building Indonesia’s Electrical Energy System and Infrastructure Renewal Towards 2045”, held online on Wednesday (10/6).

Beyond geographical factors, Lestari also highlighted the imbalance between the growth rate of electricity demand and the development of the transmission network that supports energy distribution to various regions. According to her, national electricity demand continues to increase in line with changes in community activity patterns following the Covid-19 pandemic. The work-from-home and distance learning trends are factors that have also increased the need for stable and equitable electricity supply. Therefore, she emphasised that building a modern electricity ecosystem towards 2045 must be a shared agenda involving the government, the business world, academics, and the community. According to Lestari, providing energy access is a constitutional obligation of the state because it is directly related to efforts to improve welfare and realise social justice for all citizens.

“The transition towards a modern electricity ecosystem by 2045 has become a necessity. This must not be the responsibility of the government alone or solely placed on PLN. Cooperation from all parties is required to build a system that is truly ready to face future needs,” she asserted. She added that the increasing demand for energy must be viewed as a challenge that needs to be immediately addressed through collaboration and careful planning. This ensures the national electricity system can develop in line with the needs of society and economic growth. Lestari expressed her hope that all stakeholders can strengthen synergy in accelerating energy infrastructure development, expanding electricity access, and optimising the use of renewable energy to support the transformation towards Golden Indonesia 2045. “The continuously increasing growth in electricity demand must be responded to with strategic measures. This challenge must be resolved together immediately so that Indonesia has an energy system that is robust, equitable, and capable of supporting national development in the future,” she concluded.