Prabowo Orders Bahlil to Accelerate Energy Transition and Diversify National Oil Sources

JAKARTA — President Prabowo Subianto summoned Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia to Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, 12 March 2026. Bahlil stated he was called to report on the progress of initial task force meetings involving relevant ministries and PT PLN (Persero), the state-owned electricity company.

“I was called to report on developments in discussions of the New and Renewable Energy (EBTKE) Task Force, renewable energy and the conversion of vehicles from petrol to electric,” Bahlil said at the Palace.

According to Bahlil, the government is preparing concrete measures to accelerate the use of new and renewable energy, including replacing diesel-powered electricity generators that currently rely on solar fuel.

He explained that the programme will be implemented gradually across various regions in Indonesia, particularly for power plants still dependent on diesel fuel.

“Therefore, we are optimising all our domestic potential, energies that we can convert from fossil fuels,” Bahlil added.

Beyond discussing the energy transition, the meeting also addressed government measures to anticipate the impact of global geopolitical dynamics on energy supply, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

As part of an energy supply diversification strategy, the government is considering crude oil sources from several countries outside the Middle East region.

Meanwhile, Bahlil noted that the government continues to monitor volatile global oil price dynamics.

Nevertheless, the government will continue to seek the best options for national interests.

“What is clear is that we will seek the best alternatives for our nation,” Bahlil concluded.