Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has raised concerns over persistent disparities in electricity access across Indonesia, particularly in the eastern provinces, during remarks at the Energi Mineral Festival on July 30.

“Indonesia has been independent since 1945, yet around 5,700 villages remain without electricity, and approximately 4,400 hamlets still live in darkness,” Bahlil said at the 2025 Energy and Mineral Festival at Hutan Kota Plataran in South Jakarta, Wednesday.

He recounted a recent visit to Papua, where many rural homes still rely on oil lamps—an experience that reminded him of his own childhood in East Seram, Maluku. “I grew up using kerosene lamps at school. Seeing similar scenes in Papua struck me personally,” he said.

While the national electrification rate reached 99.79 percent by the end of 2023, access remains heavily concentrated in Java and Sumatra, with large gaps persisting in eastern Indonesia.

In Papua, only about 43 percent of households have access to electricity. In Central Papua, the figure stands at around 49 percent, while in Highland Papua it is as low as 14 percent. In East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), electrification rates vary widely, ranging from 62 to 87 percent in different areas.

Bahlil stressed that electricity access is not just about infrastructure, but about social equity and opportunity. “This isn’t just about lighting, it’s about social equity. Children in remote villages deserve to study by electric light, not pale lamplight,” he said.

To address the imbalance, the government is stepping up electrification efforts through partnerships with state-owned enterprises, private companies, and the deployment of decentralized energy solutions such as microgrids and solar home systems.

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