Prabowo to Shut Down All Fuel Power Plants, Here is the Replacement
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto targets Indonesia no longer importing fuel oil (BBM) within the next two to three years. This follows plans to close Diesel Power Plants (PLTD) that contribute 20% to national fuel oil imports.
As a replacement, the government will promote the use of Solar Power Plants (PLTS). It will also implement an electric motorcycle conversion programme and encourage the use of electric stoves.
President Prabowo stated that closing the PLTDs would save Indonesia 200,000 barrels of oil per day (bph). In line with that decision, as a substitute, the government will build Solar Power Plants (PLTS) with a capacity of 100 Gigawatts (GW) within the next two years.
Prabowo conveyed that the government has decided to implement the 100 GW electrification programme.
“There will be no more power plants using diesel or solar [fuel]. No,” clarified President Prabowo at the inauguration of the Electric Bus Factory in Magelang, Central Java, on Thursday (9/4/2026).
“With that, we will close 13 Diesel Power Plants under PLN,” added Prabowo.
According to Prabowo’s notes, closing these diesel plants would save Indonesia 200,000 barrels of oil per day (bph), or 20% of fuel oil imports. Currently, Indonesia imports around 1 million barrels per day.
“We still need to import 1 million barrels a day. By closing the PLTDs, we immediately save 20%. With the 100 GW later, we will save enormously; perhaps in two to three years, we won’t need to import fuel oil at all.”
“We have great strength; we are truly serious, we will be strong, we will stand on our own feet,” emphasised Prabowo.
Previously, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, also revealed President Prabowo’s directives to reduce fuel oil and LPG imports.
“We from higher education, with research results and studies, are asked to support the acceleration of solar cells, especially PLTS, to replace expensive power plants, namely those based on diesel,” said Brian after a limited meeting on energy transition at the State Palace recently.
Prabowo also requested acceleration of the conventional motorcycle to electric motorcycle conversion programme. This is because fuel consumption from motorcycles also takes a significant portion.
“Electric vehicles. Why? Because the two things above, power plants still using diesel and vehicles, are still dependent on fuel oil,” he said.
Brian explained that the current price of imported fuel oil is quite high. Thus, the impact is significant on state finances. Therefore, replacing PLTDs with PLTS and converting to electric vehicles can reduce Indonesia’s dependence on fuel oil imports.
“So that our dependence on imports, our dependence on prices that may change quickly, can be reduced,” he stated.
Furthermore, Brian said the president requested accelerating the widespread use of electric stoves in society.
This is because Indonesia’s dependence on LPG is also quite large. Thus, when prices rise, it becomes a burden on state finances.
“So that when LPG prices rise, our dependence on LPG, our subsidies, the LPG subsidy burden, in essence, must be reduced, so that our fuel oil is more stable,” said Brian.