Indonesia plans to increase its power capacity by 71GW up to 2034 with a significant focus on private investment.
The government, together with PT PLN (Persero), will prioritise the development of transmission lines to support renewable energy generation, according to Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.
The strategy is part of state utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara's (PLN) 2025 to 2034 power supply plan, as reported by Reuters.
The plan includes 48,000km of circuit transmission lines, equivalent to 8,000km in a straight line. The lines will support 60% of the new power plants to be developed by the private sector.
The announcement was made during the launch of 26 power plants that recently began operations across Indonesia.
Bahlil highlighted the country's abundant natural resources such as sunlight, water and wind, but noted that current transmission lines are not equipped to harness power from potential renewable sites.
Building the new infrastructure aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's goal of accelerating economic growth to 8%.
With a predicted increase in natural gas demand for electricity, Bahlil emphasised prioritising domestic gas sales, stating: "The orientation is to supply domestic demand. If that is not met, we will not permit exports."
According to the report, Indonesia currently has an installed power capacity of 101GW, with 75GW managed by PLN. Renewables comprise 15% of the energy mix, while coal dominates more than half.
Indonesian officials indicate that 70% of the new power plants will utilise renewable energy, potentially including nuclear and hydrogen sources.
Prabowo Subianto previously expressed the intention to phase out fossil-fuel-fired power plants by 2039 and invest in renewables.
The country is in discussions with the US and Russia for the acquisition of nuclear power technology, aiming to commence operations by 2036.
Vivi Yulaswati, Deputy Minister for National Development Planning, states that Indonesia is exploring both small modular reactors and conventional nuclear technology as a way to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
