By: Sigi Maldives )*
The Indonesian government continues to strengthen strategic steps to optimize the potential of national natural resources in order to realize energy self-sufficiency. This commitment is not only part of the national development agenda, but also a manifestation of President Prabowo Subianto’s grand vision to make Indonesia an independent and globally competitive energy power. On various occasions, the President has said that Indonesia’s extraordinary energy wealth, both from mineral resources and renewable energy, needs to be managed with modern technology and solid collaboration in various sectors.
The government’s belief in the future of national energy is not just rhetoric. Various data and studies show that Indonesia has very large energy reserves. In energy industry forums such as the Indonesian Petroleum Association Convention (IPA Convex) 2025, the President emphasized that energy sources from geothermal, hydro, wind, and ocean waves are important assets that need to be processed optimally. Moreover, the President expressed his belief that Indonesia will not only be able to meet domestic needs, but also return to being one of the global energy suppliers.
The government’s approach to realizing this ideal is very structured. Not only emphasizing exploration and production, the President encourages all stakeholders to make updates through the latest technology. Cross-sector collaboration and integration with industry players, both national and international, are part of a grand strategy to build a resilient and efficient energy ecosystem.
Concrete steps were also shown by PT PLN (Persero) which played an active role in supporting national energy security through the use of domestic gas. In the IPA Convex 2025 event, PLN Group signed five strategic agreements with various oil and gas industry players. This initiative is an effort to strengthen energy security by reducing dependence on imported fuels and increasing the efficiency of power plants through domestic natural gas.
PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said that the collaboration reflects PLN’s strong commitment to achieving energy self-sufficiency. According to him, the use of domestic gas is not only a technical strategy, but also a fundamental effort to encourage national economic growth and create jobs. He emphasized that the development of the energy sector cannot be separated from collaboration between stakeholders, including in terms of investment, regulation, and technology.
Among the agreements signed, there is a plan to utilize LNG from the Abadi LNG project by Masela PSC contractors consisting of INPEX Masela Ltd., PT Pertamina Hulu Energi Masela, and Petronas Masela Sdn. Bhd. In addition, four other agreements were made by the PLN subholding Energi Primer Indonesia with upstream oil and gas contractors, including a gas supply of 12 MMSCFD from PT Pertamina EP for the Muara Tawar PLTGU and a supply of 5 MMSCFD for the Tanjung Batu PLTGU. This is a strong indication that the government is serious about building an energy foundation from domestic sources.
However, behind the great potential, Indonesia still faces challenges in terms of balance between needs and production. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, revealed that national oil production currently only reaches 580 thousand barrels per day, while domestic needs reach 1.6 million barrels per day. This significant difference makes Indonesia a major importer of petroleum with a value of 35 to 40 billion US dollars per year. This burden is a strong reason for the government to accelerate the transformation towards energy sourced from within the country.
President Prabowo also pays great attention to the country’s fiscal efficiency aspect. He realizes that continuous spending on energy imports can hamper development in other sectors. Therefore, strengthening the domestic energy sector is not only an issue of energy security, but also part of a more sovereign national economic development strategy. Independent management of energy potential is expected to be a long-term solution to reduce dependence on the fluctuating global market that does not always benefit developing countries like Indonesia.
The government also realizes that the energy transition is not only about replacing conventional energy sources with renewable ones. This transition requires the formation of a new ecosystem that includes clean technology, progressive policies, competitive investment, and synergy from various parties, including the private sector. In this context, initiatives facilitated by the government and run by state-owned enterprises such as PLN are real examples of the collaborative spirit towards energy independence.
With abundant natural resources and a clear policy direction, Indonesia is in a strong position to achieve its energy self-sufficiency goals. The government has shown its seriousness through policies that support the utilization of national potential, and the industrial sector has responded with concrete steps. If this synergy continues to be strengthened, it is not impossible that in the near future Indonesia will not only be able to meet its energy needs independently, but also become one of the world’s leading energy powers.
)* Public Policy Observer
