Prabowo Orders PLN to Immediately Shut Down 13 GW of Diesel Power Plants

President Prabowo Subianto has ordered PLN to immediately shut down diesel power plants (PLTD) across various regions of Indonesia, which have a total capacity of 13 gigawatts (GW), and transition to non-fossil fuel power plants such as solar power plants (PLTS). The government’s desire to accelerate the closure of PLTD and switch to clean energy sources—often referred to as de-dieselisation—aligns with the programme to build PLTS with a total capacity of up to 100 GW across Indonesia. “PLN must abandon diesel power plants, approximately 13 gigawatts must be left behind immediately, and it turns out other energy sources are very, very abundant,” President Prabowo said during the inauguration of the national electric motorcycle in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Thursday. The President explained that to achieve energy self-sufficiency, Indonesia must reduce its dependence on imported fuel oil (BBM). Moreover, the money spent on importing BBM each year reaches 28 billion to 30 billion US dollars. According to the President, Indonesia possesses a wealth of alternative resources that are far cleaner than BBM, which is a fossil fuel, one of which is solar energy. “It turns out, there is so much, so very much. From week to week, our scientists, our researchers discover extraordinary results, vast natural hydrogen reserves, and other alternative energy reserves,” Prabowo stated. Therefore, the President is optimistic that Indonesia can rise by achieving energy self-sufficiency. “We need not to depend on energy from outside our country. We are too big to depend on outsiders, too big. There is a war in a distant place, our people could become victims. We have no interest. There is a dispute somewhere, a trade war somewhere, we are affected. We are always haunted, it cannot be! It turns out, if we study properly, it does not take too long to understand that Indonesia has extraordinary strength. Indonesia has extraordinary natural resources, it just depends on whether we can protect and manage them,” Prabowo said. Regarding the PLTS development programme, President Prabowo is targeting all plants with a total capacity of up to 100 GW to be completed within four years. “This year alone, our target is 30 gigawatts,” the President added.