Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, officially inaugurated 55 new and renewable energy (NRE) projects across 15 provinces on Thursday (June 26, 2025).
The event was centered at the Blawan Ijen Unit I Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) in East Java and also marked a milestone in increasing oil production by 30,000 barrels per day from the Cepu Block.
In his speech, President Prabowo described the moment as a crucial step toward national energy independence and self-sufficiency. He emphasized the importance of wisely utilizing Indonesia’s natural wealth for the welfare of its people.
“We are grateful to have extraordinary energy resources, including renewable ones. What remains is for us to manage them wisely,” said Prabowo, as conveyed in an official statement from the Cabinet Secretariat.
Of the 55 projects inaugurated, 50 are ready for commercial operation. These include three geothermal power plants (PLTP) with a combined capacity of 91.9 megawatts and 47 solar power plants (PLTS) with a capacity of 27.8 megawatts.
Meanwhile, five other geothermal projects are in the initial stages of development, with a total planned capacity of 260 megawatts.
If all projects proceed as planned, the additional electricity generated is expected to exceed 3 terawatt-hours per year, making a significant contribution to the national energy supply.
On the same occasion, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, who attended the inauguration in Bondowoso, reaffirmed that the development of renewable energy is part of Indonesia’s national strategy to combat climate change and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
“Today we are implementing the President’s directive that energy transition must be continuous. In addition to geothermal power plants, we are also inaugurating solar power systems in villages that previously had no electricity,” Bahlil explained.
The government is not only focusing on green energy but also on enhancing oil and gas production.
The Banyu Urip field in the Cepu Block has now added 30,000 barrels per day to its output, bringing the total lifting from the Cepu Block to 180,000 barrels per day, or about 25% of national production.
According to Bahlil, this achievement came remarkably fast. The additional production project was completed in just eight months—ten months ahead of the original schedule.
“Our target for 2029–2030 is to reach 900,000 to 1 million barrels per day. The current 30,000-barrel increase was achieved in only 8 months, 10 months earlier than planned,” Bahlil stated.
President Prabowo concluded the event by expressing appreciation to all stakeholders—central and regional governments, private partners, and international collaborators—who contributed to the project.
He emphasized the importance of efficiency in energy resource management to achieve self-sufficiency and affordable energy for all Indonesians.
“We might become one of the countries that reaches zero carbon emissions right on schedule. But what’s more important is that we can produce energy while cutting costly logistics chains. This is the impact of our grand program,” Prabowo affirmed. (*)
