PLN's Coal Supply Dwindles Faster Than Expected, Bahlil Suspects Something Amiss

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia has evaluated the performance of state electricity company PT PLN following recent rolling blackouts in Java. The evaluation traced various factors affecting the stability of the national electricity supply. Bahlil explained that PLN’s total annual coal requirement for its power plants is approximately 154 million metric tons. Under the domestic market obligation (DMO) rules for exporters, PLN can secure a supply of up to 180 to 190 million metric tons. Of this total requirement, Bahlil stated that 141 million metric tons of coal had already been received by PLN, with the remainder to be fulfilled gradually alongside ongoing export activities. “Those who have declared their willingness amount to 160 million to 170 million metric tons, of which PLN has contracted 134 million metric tons. As of three days ago, the figure reached 141 million metric tons,” Bahlil said at the CNBC Energy Forum 2026 in Central Jakarta on Thursday (25/6/2026). Bahlil noted that the coal supply for electricity production had already begun to run low in June 2026, a situation he found questionable. “This means that from 1 January to June, out of 154 million, minus 141 million, that leaves only 13 million. How can the coal run out in the sixth month? What kind of logic is this? Honestly, there must be something going on,” he said. Upon inspection, Bahlil discovered that the quality of the coal received by PLN was below the required standard, necessitating a larger volume of coal to produce electricity. He stressed that PLN should have mitigated this issue much earlier, rather than waiting until problems arose to report and complain. “It turns out we checked and there is a medium-grade coal with a calorific value above 5,000 needed for blending. This is what is required. The government provides the DMO, but the technical execution is your job as a company. Don’t wait until the water is up to your neck to start shouting. That is why, for the last two weeks, I have become PLN’s project manager,” Bahlil asserted.