President Prabowo Orders Minister Bahlil to Optimize the Energy Sector

RRI.CO.ID, Bogor – President Prabowo Subianto instructed Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia to accelerate the industrial downstreaming program and strengthen national energy security. The minister conveyed the progress following the meeting in Hambalang on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.

The minister stated that 20 projects in the first phase have already begun. Approximately 13 other projects will follow shortly.

“Then we’ll add another 13 downstream projects with a total investment of roughly 239 trillion (rupiah), and we’ll finalize the details,” Bahlil said.

In addition to focusing on industry, the government is also promoting the development of alternative energy sources such as ethanol and biodiesel. The President directed that all domestic natural resources be utilized to the fullest for the people’s needs.

He stated, “The President has ordered us to optimize all existing energy potentials, whether it be ethanol, biodiesel from CPO, or how we can promote the energy transition through renewable energy.”

Regarding coal and nickel prices, the government continuously monitors global market dynamics to ensure stability. Production relaxation policies will be implemented in a measured manner to maintain the balance between supply and demand in the market.

“Even if prices remain stable, that’s good; we’ll figure out how to implement measured relaxation in production planning. So everything remains within the bounds of market coordination and supply-demand needs. The key is that we want prices to stay favorable, we hope for good coal prices, good nickel prices, and then we’ll determine how to implement measured relaxation,” Bahlil said.

President Prabowo also issued a firm directive that the management of natural resources must not benefit only a select few. Natural resources must be managed as strategic assets to increase fair state revenue.