Indonesia to Broaden Village Electrification with Focus on Remote Regions

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the government will expand the village electrification program proportionally from Aceh to Papua, prioritizing underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions.

“The ESDM Ministry will carry out this task fairly and proportionally, focusing on areas that require accelerated action,” Minister Bahlil said during a working meeting with Commission XII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.

He noted that nearly 11,000 locations--including villages and hamlets--still lack access to electricity. The 2025 program covers around 1,416 locations, while the 2026 program will target approximately 1,300.

“Our 2026 program covers around 1,300 locations, and our initial focus is the 3T regions. These include Kalimantan, Maluku, NTT, Papua, and parts of Sumatra,” he said.

The program’s initial penetration prioritizes regions requiring accelerated development, including Kalimantan, Maluku, NTT, Papua, and parts of Sumatra. However, Minister Bahlil expressed surprise that some hamlets and villages on Java still lack electricity.

Regarding the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), Minister Bahlil said the government will adjust the plan following a drop in electricity supply in Central Kalimantan, which coincided with maintenance work carried out by PLN.

“Regarding the RUPTL, we will make adjustments. There is currently a drop in supply in Central Kalimantan due to PLN’s maintenance work,” he said.

Minister Bahlil emphasized that the ESDM Ministry serves as the regulator, while PLN implements electrification. Even so, he said the ministry must take responsibility when power outages occur.

He added that the issue will be resolved through adjustments to the RUPTL and discussed further in a meeting with PLN. He also pledged to follow up on the proposal to designate the affected area as a separate region in future deliberations.

“I will resolve this through the RUPTL. We have a limited meeting regarding PLN this afternoon, and I will pursue the proposal to establish it as a separate region. I will certainly follow up on that,” he said. (Misni Parjiati)