PLN to Overhaul Primary Energy Supply Chain After Java Blackouts

PT PLN (Persero) has acknowledged the need to improve the governance of its primary energy supply chain following coal supply disruptions and technical plant failures that triggered rolling blackouts in several areas of Java last week.

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodio stated that the company will conduct a thorough evaluation of the primary energy provision system to strengthen the reliability of the national electricity supply.

“We are also improving the governance of the primary energy supply chain and strengthening power plants, both those owned by PLN and those belonging to our partners, the Independent Power Producers (IPP),” Darmawan said in a press statement in Jakarta on Monday (22/06/2026).

According to Darmawan, the condition of the Java electricity system has begun to improve since Sunday (21/06/2026), as primary energy supplies meeting the required plant specifications have started flowing to several power stations. Additionally, one large power plant unit owned by a PLN partner, which previously experienced technical issues, has been successfully restored and is once again supplying electricity to the Java system.

He explained that during the disruption, PLN faced multi-layered pressures, including a limited supply of primary energy meeting plant specifications and the exit of two large private power plants from the system due to technical constraints.

These conditions reduced the power reserve of the Java electricity system, forcing PLN to implement rolling blackouts to maintain grid stability.

Darmawan apologised to the public for the inconvenience caused by the disruption. He ensured that PLN is taking various corrective measures to increase energy supply resilience and plant reliability.

“We are making an all-out effort 24 hours a day, seven days a week, both in monitoring and mapping all our efforts so that the improvement of the electricity system reliability in Java can be maintained and even enhanced,” he said.

PLN also stated that it will strengthen coordination with primary energy suppliers and power plant partners to anticipate the recurrence of similar disruptions in the future.

The rolling blackouts that occurred last week have once again highlighted the importance of managing the primary energy supply chain to maintain the reliability of the national electricity system. The dependence of power plants on coal supplies that meet specific requirements means that supply disruptions have the potential to directly affect power availability, particularly in the Java system, which serves as the backbone of national electricity needs.