By: Aurellia Syahputri )*
The Village Electricity Program (Lisdes) initiated by the government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is a concrete step to provide fairness in energy distribution for all Indonesian people. This program targets 780 thousand households that still live without access to electricity, a reality that is not in line with the spirit of independence that we achieved almost 80 years ago.
Director General of Electricity, Jisman P. Hutajulu, said that there are still many households that have not enjoyed electricity services. This statement is a reminder that electrification is not yet fully evenly distributed. Therefore, through Lisdes, the government wants to answer this challenge with a mature and comprehensive strategy.
This program does not only touch the surface, but dives down to the smallest layer of administrative areas. Mapping is carried out down to the hamlet and housing cluster levels. This shows that energy distribution is no longer solely administrative, but based on the reality in the field, so that it is more targeted and effective.
With a target of 10,068 villages or hamlets and 783,451 customers, and an installed capacity of 394,157 kW/kWp, Lisdes is a monumental project that reflects the seriousness of the state in guaranteeing the basic rights of the people. This is not just infrastructure development, but the development of justice.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources together with PT PLN (Persero) will implement this program in the period 2025-2029. Great hopes are placed on the collaboration of these two institutions to ensure that electricity development and distribution run sustainably and have a real impact.
An estimated budget of IDR 50 trillion has been prepared to run this program. This amount is not a burden, but a long-term investment in improving the quality of life of the community and opening up new economic access in disadvantaged, outermost, and remote areas (3T).
Jisman P. Hutajulu emphasized the importance of providing subsidies for people in the 3T region. This subsidy is not a form of mercy, but a form of social justice so that people living in difficult areas can still enjoy electricity without having to be burdened with high costs.
Lisdes not only targets the construction of a 394 MW power plant, but also direct connections to around 780 thousand households. This creates certainty that this program does not stop at infrastructure development, but directly touches the needs of the community.
24-hour electricity service is the main indicator of the success of this program. There are no more villages that only enjoy electricity for a few hours, or even still live in complete darkness. This is the new face of equitable development.
Member of Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Central Kalimantan, Mukhtarudin, said that he was committed to overseeing this program to completion. He emphasized that supervision would be carried out so that the IDR 50 trillion budget was right on target and not misused.
Mukhtarudin’s commitment also includes encouraging the realization of Lisdes for social justice and economic development in the 3T region. According to him, equitable energy is the main foundation for equitable development, especially in areas that have been economically lagging behind.
As a people’s representative from the Central Kalimantan Electoral District, Mukhtarudin understands the geographical challenges faced by many regions in Indonesia, such as North Maluku. Therefore, synergy between the central government, PLN, and local governments is needed to overcome technical and geographical obstacles.
His party also asked PLN to accelerate the inventory process of villages that have not been electrified. This is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s direct order for the Lisdes program to become a national priority project in the next five years.
The involvement of private investors in financing was also encouraged by Mukhtarudin, with the note that it must be carried out transparently and strictly supervised. The goal is clear: the benefits of electricity must be felt directly by the community without becoming a field of interest for a handful of parties.
The launch of the 2025-2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) is the legal and technical basis for the implementation of Lisdes. Mukhtarudin welcomed this document as the main reference in implementing an electricity program based on justice and sustainability.
More than just infrastructure, Lisdes is a state strategy to achieve the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045 and the target of Net Zero Emissions 2060. Equitable access to electricity will support the clean energy transition and accelerate sustainable development.
Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives also encourages Lisdes to be integrated with national energy policies, including in the use of renewable energy. This is an important step so that electrification is not only evenly distributed, but also environmentally friendly and long-term.
With strict supervision and cross-sector coordination, Mukhtarudin is optimistic that this program will complete the challengeselectrification in Indonesia. This is a real form of the President’s mandate to provide basic energy rights to all Indonesian people.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, said that the main task of his ministry in the next five years is to make Lisdes a success. He will immediately inventory villages that do not yet have electricity and design an invasion program to provide electricity to these areas.
Minister Bahlil’s commitment is not only a follow-up to the President’s order, but also a reflection of the spirit of equitable development. The Village Electricity Program is a symbol that the state is present and working for all people, even in remote areas.
)* The author is an energy observer
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