Indonesia's rolling blackouts highlight power sector challenges

Rolling blackouts began on Java island on 21 June 2026, affecting households, small‑businesses, schools, hospitals and fishing communities. PLN chief Darmawan Prasodjo said the grid’s condition has improved since the outages started and apologized for the inconvenience.

President Prabowo Subianto directed the energy ministry to accelerate actions to prevent further cuts, a directive relayed by Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia after a meeting at the presidential palace.

Analysts say the events expose systemic weaknesses: aging infrastructure, limited reserve margin, and heavy reliance on coal‑fired plants that left parts of the Java‑Bali system vulnerable while other regions lack sufficient backup capacity.

Experts from the Institute for Essential Services Reform and local NGOs are calling for an independent, data‑driven investigation and a faster transition to renewable energy. Central Java alone has roughly 198 GW of on‑shore renewable potential and 79 GW of offshore wind capacity, while the nation’s overall offshore wind technical potential is estimated at 277 GW.