Indonesia's Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia Announces $10‑Trillion Rural Electrification Plan

Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia visited Dusun Krembeng in Hardimulyo village, Central Java, to review the government’s village electrification program (Lisdes) and the free‑connection scheme (BPBL). He noted that about 5,700 villages and 4,400 hamlets still lack electricity and stressed the state’s duty to serve citizens, recalling his own upbringing without power.

In 2025 the ministry completed electrification work in more than 1,400 locations and BPBL provided connections to 220,845 households, including 19,161 in Central Java. To speed up the rollout, the budget for the program is being raised from Rp 3.6 trillion to roughly Rp 10.3 trillion for 2026. The minister highlighted the high cost of extending the grid to remote areas – up to Rp 700 million to serve about 44 households – and said profit considerations should not stop the state from investing in basic infrastructure.

The Lisdes initiative comprises two main components: building new distribution networks and supplying free electricity connections to underserved households, with the expanded funding aimed at completing the remaining connections by 2027.