Indonesia Advances Inter-Island Electricity Connections

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The government is accelerating inter-island power grid interconnections, prioritizing the Sumatra-Java link to connect renewable energy sources with industrial centers and areas with growing electricity demand.

Deputy for Energy and Mineral Resources Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Elen Setiadi, said the government is prioritizing the Sumatra-Java interconnection, followed by links connecting Sumatra with the Riau Islands and Bangka Belitung.

"Our immediate target is to connect Sumatra and Java. We will then develop interconnections between Sumatra and the Riau Islands, as well as between Sumatra and Bangka Belitung," Elen said during a WRI Indonesia seminar in Jakarta on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Elen said interconnections are crucial for linking energy centers with industrial zones, including industrial estates, smelters, economic zones and new growth centers.

He noted that stronger interconnections are particularly important for the Riau Islands, where data center development in Batam continues to expand.

According to Elen, data centers require a reliable supply of green energy. As a result, electricity demand in the Riau Islands will need to be supported by renewable energy sources from other regions, including Sumatra.

"The Riau Islands, including Batam, have become one of the destinations for data center development. It is not only taking place in Nongsa but also across other parts of Batam, where data centers have grown rapidly," he said.

Elen said the only inter-island electricity connection currently in operation is the Java-Bali network. The government is now pushing to expand interconnections across Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, the Riau Islands and Bangka Belitung.

According to Elen, the government aims to establish the inter-island connections between 2032 and 2035.

The network expansion forms part of a plan to build a 70,000-kilometer green super grid by 2040. The grid is expected to help integrate renewable energy potential across regions to support industrial estates, smelters, economic zones and new growth centers. ***