Prabowo Instructs Minister Bahlil to Accelerate LPG to CNG Transition
President Prabowo Subiandum has instructed the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, to immediately identify and optimise alternative energy sources. This strategic move is intended to strengthen national energy security amidst global geopolitical uncertainties.
A key point of the directive is the acceleration of fuel transitions, specifically the shift from Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Minister Bahlil Lahadalia revealed this following a limited meeting led by President Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday night. According to Bahlil, the dynamic global geopolitical situation provides a strong reason for Indonesia to urgently diversify its energy sources.
“The President has ordered the immediate search for alternative energies. Our current focus is the accelerated transition from LPG to CNG,” Bahlil stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
Amidst the search for energy alternatives, the government reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining public purchasing power. Bahlil ensured that the prices of subsidised fuel (BBM) and subsidised LPG will not increase in the near future.
“We are conveying that there will be no change whatsoever to the prices of subsidised fuel or LPG. Meanwhile, non-subsidised prices will adjust according to existing market prices,” he emphasised.
This policy is designed 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 that subsidies remain targeted and effective.
In addition to fuel issues, the limited meeting also evaluated the performance of PT PLN (Persero). Addressing concerns regarding coal scarcity, Bahliment denied such reports, stating that national stocks are in a secure condition.
“The claim that coal is scarce is untrue, as our assignment has reached 170 million tonnes,” Bahlil explained. He acknowledged that technical issues had occurred in several of PLN’s power plant engines, which triggered blackouts in several regions, but the government guarantees that repairs will be carried out as soon as possible.
The government aims to ensure that there are no further disruptions to the electricity supply that could harm the public or the industrial sector, alongside the strengthening of national energy infrastructure management.