Business · Energy & Commodities · 18 hrs ago
Indonesia Expects Power Plants to Need 173 Million Tonnes of Coal in 2027
Indonesia’s energy ministry says PLN has submitted a 2027 coal requirement of about 173 million tonnes for power generation.
That is more than the roughly 142 million tonnes needed by PLN and private power plants in 2026.
The government set aside about 215 million tonnes under its domestic market obligation for this year, which requires coal supplies for the local market.
Officials and PLN are coordinating to meet next year’s demand, with repeat orders from existing contracts offered as an alternative to making new contracts.
Coal must have the right heat value for each plant, because a mismatch can disrupt operations.
The issue matters because Indonesia’s electricity system has a reserve margin of only about 1 gigawatt, according to the deputy energy minister.
The next step is to continue coordinating supply and ensuring the coal matches each plant’s specifications.
Indonesia’s power plants are expected to need about 173 million tonnes of coal in 2027, according to Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung.
The figure covers PLN and private power plants, and is higher than their combined coal needs of about 142 million tonnes in 2026.
Yuliot said the ministry, the mineral and coal directorate and PLN had discussed how to prepare supplies and avoid shortages.
The government is considering repeat orders under existing coal contracts rather than relying on new contracts.
Yuliot said coal specifications, including calorific value, must match the needs of each power plant.
- Who
- PLN and private power plants are expected to need the coal. Deputy Minister Yuliot Tanjung announced the estimate.
- What
- They are expected to need about 173 million tonnes of coal in 2027.
- When
- In 2027.
- Where
- Indonesia.
- Why
- The coal is needed to supply power plants. Officials are coordinating supply to anticipate shortages and match coal specifications to plant needs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
PLN and private power plants’ coal needs were about 142 million tonnes, according to Yuliot.
Yuliot announced PLN’s estimated coal needs of about 173 million tonnes for 2027 at a meeting with the DPD’s Committee II in Jakarta.
Yuliot said the ministry, the mineral and coal directorate and PLN had met to discuss preparing supplies for 2027.
- 2027 coal needs
- About 173 million tonnes
- 2026 coal needs
- About 142 million tonnes
- Domestic market obligation supply prepared for 2026
- About 215 million tonnes
- Electricity capacity
- About 79 GW
- Available supply capacity
- About 55 GW
- Peak electricity demand
- About 54 GW
2 sources
What people are saying
In 2027, PLN itself has submitted its coal needs for power plants at around 173 million tonnes.
Supply can be fulfilled through repeat orders from contracts already in place, so there is no need to make new contracts.
Our reserve margin is relatively thin, only 1 GW.