PLN Claims Rolling Blackouts Are Starting to Decrease
PT PLN (Persero) has stated that one of two power generation units that previously experienced disruptions has been reconnected to the Java electricity system. The disruption of the two plants had caused rolling blackouts in several areas of Java over the past two weeks.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said one of the plants has been restored and is back in operation. “One of the plants has been recovered. At 6 p.m. it was synchronised with the Java electricity system and has begun supplying power to enhance the reliability of the system in Java,” Darmawan said during an online press conference on Sunday evening, 21 June 2026.
According to Darmawan, the return to operation of the plant will help reduce the rolling blackouts in the coming period. However, he did not elaborate in detail on when the rolling blackouts would fully cease.
In addition to restoring the disrupted plant, PLN is also working to improve the governance of the primary energy supply chain and strengthen the generation sector. “We are striving for the best so that the ongoing improvements can be maintained and continuously enhanced,” he said.
Previously, rolling blackouts occurred in various regions across Java from 8 to 21 June 2026. Based on Tempo’s records, the power supply disruptions took place in a number of areas spread across all provinces on Java.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia previously stated that one cause of the rolling blackouts was the limited supply of medium-calorie coal for power plants. According to him, several mining companies are reluctant to supply this type of coal to PLN due to the large gap between the domestic market obligation (DMO) price and the market price.
Bahlil explained that the current coal price for PLN’s needs is set at US$70 per tonne through the DMO scheme. Meanwhile, the Reference Coal Price (HBA) for the first period of June 2026 reached US$121.83 per tonne for 6,322 kcal/kg coal and US$84.53 per tonne for medium-calorie 5,300 kcal/kg coal. “So, the selling price to PLN is no longer viable for the companies. That is the problem,” Bahlil said.
Beyond the pricing issue, Bahlil revealed that PLN’s coal requirement reaches approximately 154 million metric tonnes per year. To date, PLN has secured coal procurement contracts for 134 million tonnes. Thus, there remains a supply shortfall of around 20 million tonnes that needs to be fulfilled.
Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) Gita Mahyarani believes there are other fundamental issues affecting coal availability for power plants. According to her, one cause is the coal production cut policy through the 2026 Work Plan and Budget (RKAB), which limits producers’ flexibility. “Moreover, production is currently in the process of adjustment through the RKAB, so the flexibility for producers is not as great as before,” Gita said via written message.