Not Yet Complete! Approved Coal Work and Budget Plans Reach Only 300 Million Tonnes

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has commented on the continuation of coal production plans this year following government approval of Work and Budget Plans (RKAB) for the coal commodity.

These RKAB approvals are deemed quite important given that the production relaxation period of up to 30 percent from planned production will expire on 31 March 2026.

The Director General of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) at the ESDM Ministry, Tri Winarno, revealed that not all company RKABs have been approved by the government. However, in total, the approvals granted have reached nearly 50 percent of the national coal production quota plan.

As of at least 12 March 2026, the volume of coal production that has obtained RKAB approval has reached approximately 250 million to nearly 300 million tonnes.

“Coal RKABs now total around 250 to nearly 300 million tonnes that have already been approved,” said Tri when met at the Balongan Refinery area, quoted on Friday (13 March 2026).

Nonetheless, Tri has not detailed which companies have obtained RKAB approval. However, he assured that several major companies have received approval.

Some of these include former Coal Mining Business Concession Agreement (PKP2B) companies and state-owned enterprises such as PT Bukit Asam Tbk and major companies such as Adaro.

However, there remain several companies that have not yet obtained RKAB approval, one of which is PT Arutmin Indonesia. “Some ex-PKP2B companies have [approval], but some have not. Arutmin has not,” Tri said.