Bahlil Rejects Coal Shortage Claims Behind Widespread Power Outages
Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia on Thursday dismissed speculation that recent power outages across parts of Indonesia, including Java, were caused by a shortage of coal supplies for electricity generation, insisting that domestic fuel stocks remain sufficient.
"It is not true to say that coal is scarce," Bahlil told reporters at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. "Because our domestic allocation has already reached 170 million tons," he added.
According to Bahlil, reports from state utility PLN indicate that the recent disruptions were largely caused by technical issues affecting power plants and electricity transmission systems rather than fuel availability.
The government and PLN are continuing to evaluate the outages and accelerate recovery efforts to restore stable electricity supply in affected areas.
"As of today (Thursday), I still have a meeting with PLN tonight at my office to discuss this issue," Bahlil said.
He acknowledged that earlier restoration efforts had not been fully optimal but said authorities were working to speed up the normalization process.
"We are doing everything possible to ensure there are no more power outages," he said.
The minister's remarks came amid public complaints over electricity disruptions reported in several regions over the past few days. Power outages have affected parts of Greater Jakarta, with varying durations reported by residents.
Similar disruptions have also been reported in Cianjur, Semarang, Madura, and several areas in Sumatra, fueling speculation that national energy supplies for power generation may have been under strain.
The government, however, maintains that coal inventories for power plants remain adequate and are not the primary cause of the outages. Authorities are instead focusing on repairing affected systems and resolving technical problems to stabilize the electricity supply.
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