Police Anti-Corruption Unit Investigates Coal Supply Fraud Linked to Sumatra Blackouts

The Police Anti-Corruption Corps (Kortas Tipikor) has revealed alleged corruption in the fulfilment of coal supplies linked to blackouts in Sumatra and several other Indonesian regions. The case has been elevated to the investigation stage. Kortas Tipikor Chief Inspector General Totok Suharyanto stated during a press conference at the Criminal Investigation Department on Monday (6/7/2026) that investigators are providing updates on the handling of criminal corruption and money laundering cases related to the procurement of coal supply needs at several coal-fired power plants (PLTU) during the period from 2018 to 2026. The status upgrade to investigation was established on 4 July 2026. Totok said his team found two companies suspected of committing legal violations regarding the fulfilment of coal supplies. At the very least, investigators discovered alleged irregularities in the procurement and fulfilment of coal supplies at the PLTU by the companies involved: PT OBB and PT PRA. The Director of Enforcement at Kortas Tipikor, Brigadier General Robertus Yohanes De Deo, added that there were several modus operandi used by the suspected perpetrators in this case, one of which was document manipulation. Robertus explained that the modes found during the inquiry included alleged manipulation of documents concerning the quality of the coal sent or supplied. Investigators also found manipulation related to the quantity of coal supplied to the PLTU, as well as alleged irregularities that resulted in payments or contract prices not matching the actual or real supply conditions. He added that these practices contributed to disruptions in the coal supply, ultimately causing blackouts in several Indonesian regions, including Sumatra, parts of Kalimantan, Central Java, East Java, and parts of the Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabek).