Prabowo Instructs Minister Bahlil to Accelerate LPG to CNG Transition

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia to immediately seek and optimise alternative energy sources. This strategic move aims to strengthen national energy security amid global geopolitical uncertainty. A key point in the directive is the acceleration of fuel transition, specifically the shift from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to compressed natural gas (CNG). Minister Bahlil disclosed this after attending a limited meeting chaired by President Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday evening (11/6). According to Bahlil, the dynamic global geopolitical situation is a strong reason for Indonesia to urgently pursue energy diversification. “The President ordered us to immediately find alternative energies. Our current focus is accelerating the transition from LPG to CNG,” Bahlil stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday (12/6). Amid efforts to find energy alternatives, the government affirmed its commitment to maintaining public purchasing power. Bahlil assured that the prices of subsidised fuel oil (BBM) and subsidised LPG will not increase in the near future. “We have conveyed that the prices of subsidised BBM and LPG will not change at all. Meanwhile, non-subsidised prices will adjust to market prices,” he stressed. This policy is taken to protect lower-income groups from the impact of global energy price fluctuations. The government is currently conducting studies on various alternative energy policies to ensure subsidies remain well targeted. Besides fuel issues, the limited meeting also evaluated the performance of PT PLN (Persero). Addressing the issue of coal scarcity, Bahlil denied the reports and stated that national stockpiles are in a safe condition. “To say that coal is scarce is incorrect, because our assignment has already reached 170 million tonnes,” Bahlil explained. He acknowledged that there had been technical problems with several PLN generator engines that triggered blackouts in a number of regions, but the government guarantees repairs will be carried out as quickly as possible. The government is targeting no further disruptions to electricity supply that harm the public or the industrial sector, in line with the strengthening of national energy infrastructure management.