Minister Bahlil Denies Coal Shortage Caused Power Blackouts

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, has asserted that recent power supply disruptions or blackouts occurring in several regions are not caused by a scarcity of coal. The government ensures that the supply of this commodity for domestic needs remains secure and aligned with targets.

Bahlil explained that the issue regarding limited coal stocks as a trigger for blackouts does not align with the facts on the ground. According to him, the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) for coal supply has reached a significant figure.

“To say that coal is scarce is untrue. Because our assignment has already reached 170 million tonnes,” Bahlil stated during a briefing at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday (11/6).

He revealed that the primary cause of the electricity disruptions is technical constraints within several power generation units. Currently, the Ministry of ESDM, together with PT PLN (Persero), is conducting in-depth evaluations and accelerating handling measures to restabilise the national electricity system.

“There are indeed some troubles in several machines that PLN will resolve, and we will resolve them as quickly as possible,” he added.

As of Thursday night, Bahlil admitted that intensive coordination with PLN is ongoing to find a permanent solution to this issue. He did not deny that previous recovery processes had not been maximal, but emphasised that repair measures are being accelerated so that the public is no longer affected by blackouts.

“Yesterday, there were indeed issues that were not fully resolved, but we are accelerating the recovery. We are striving to ensure there are no more blackouts,” Bahlil asserted.

The government is also committed to preventing recurring blackouts or the implementation of rotational blackouts by ensuring all power plant infrastructure returns to optimal operation in the near future.