PLN Partners with ITS to Cultivate Talent and Innovation for National Energy Transition

State electricity firm PT PLN (Persero) has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Indonesia’s energy transition by partnering with the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) to host the PLN Innovation Competition in Electricity (PLN ICE) 2026. The collaboration between the industrial and academic sectors aims to cultivate superior talent and drive innovation in the power sector.

General Manager of the PLN Research and Development Centre, Mochamad Soleh, stated that PLN ICE serves as a platform for Indonesian students to develop innovations in electric vehicles and energy startups. “PLN ICE is not just a competition, but also a collaborative space for students to present innovative solutions that support the transformation of the national electricity sector,” Soleh said on Tuesday.

Now in its seventh year, the competition features categories including an Electric Vehicle (EV) Competition—encompassing Gokart EV, Drag EV, and Micro EV—and a Startup Competition for energy-based business models. PLN has allocated more than IDR 2 billion in funding, implementation support, and prizes for participants and winners across all categories.

The programme is designed to encourage research, engineering, and business innovation while expanding students’ networks with academics, practitioners, and industry players. Registration for PLN ICE 2026 is open from 25 June to 31 July 2026 for active students from all universities across Indonesia.