PLN Boss Details Coal-Fired Plants to Receive Coal Supply
PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (Persero) or PT PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo stated that the company is distributing medium-rank coal to a number of steam-powered power plants (PLTU) on Java Island. The power plants receiving the coal supply consist of those owned by PLN, PLN’s partners, and Independent Power Producers (IPP).
The PLTUs that will receive the medium-rank coal supply include those in West Java such as PLTU Pelabuhan Ratu, PLTU Lontar, PLTU Labuan, PLTU Suralaya 1 through 8, PLTU Jawa 7, PLTU Jawa 9 and 10, and PLTU Indramayu. Next are PLTUs in East Java, including PLTU Paiton 1 and 2, PLTU Paiton 9, PLTU Rembang, PLTU Pacitan, and PLTU Tanjung Awar-awar.
“On behalf of PT PLN (Persero), we would like to apologise profusely because Java Island is experiencing rolling blackouts,” Darmawan said during a press conference on Friday evening, as quoted from a live broadcast on YouTube Garuda TV, Saturday, 20 June 2026.
PLN is accelerating the procurement of coal supplies to meet the needs of its power plants. The coal has a medium calorie content (medium rank coal). “We are also accelerating the signing of contracts with coal suppliers, especially medium rank coal that has received assignments from the government,” he said, as quoted from Antara.
In the process of accelerating coal supply procurement, Darmawan conducted intensive and continuous coordination with the Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Tri Winarno. Through this coordination, Darmawan hopes the contract signing process can proceed quickly. “With the allocation of medium rank coal and also the direction from the Minister of ESDM (Bahlil Lahadalia), PLN will make improvements so that the electricity supply process can run smoothly,” Darmawan said.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia explained that PLN’s total coal requirement reaches 154 million metric tonnes per year. So far, PLN has secured coal procurement contracts for 134 million tonnes, leaving a shortfall of only around 20 million tonnes.
The Ministry of ESDM is observing constraints on medium-calorie coal, specifically with specifications around 5,200 kcal per kg GAR required by PLN’s plants. Bahlil subsequently formed a medium-calorie coal procurement team to overcome PLN’s constraints in meeting its power plant needs.
Bahlil also opened the possibility of revising the coal price for PLN amid increasing production cost pressures on suppliers and challenges in maintaining medium-calorie coal supply. The price adjustment is being considered to meet domestic needs or the domestic market obligation (DMO), which is currently set at US$70 per tonne for PLN.
Rolling blackouts occurred from 8 June to 19 June 2026 in parts of Java Island. Based on Tempo’s records, power outages have occurred in various areas across all provinces on Java Island, including Jakarta. Most recently, blackouts were reported in several areas in Yogyakarta and Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, on Friday, 19 June 2026.
Beyond the DMO price factor, Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) Gita Mahyarani assessed that there are other fundamental issues affecting coal availability for power plants. According to Gita, one of the causes is the coal production cut policy through the 2026 Work Plan and Budget (RKAB), which limits producer flexibility. “Moreover, production is currently in the process of adjustment through the RKAB, so the flexibility space for producers is not as large as before.”