Prabowo Launches 100 GW Solar Power Project

President Prabowo Subianto launched a plan to construct 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar power plants across Indonesia on August 25, 2026. Prabowo hopes to complete this ambitious project within three years. Currently, the nation's electricity generation capacity stands at around 88 GW, primarily from coal, oil, and gas, along with geothermal energy. The 100 GW target aims to significantly boost this capacity.

ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia attended the launch event in Denpasar, Bali, and expressed readiness to meet the target. He emphasized the need for significant investment, estimated at US$73 billion or more than Rp1,140 trillion. This program could potentially save energy subsidies up to Rp73.9 trillion annually. The initiative is expected to generate approximately 5.52 million job opportunities.

Several projects have entered the construction phase, with the 46 MWp Tembesi solar power plant 65% complete, the 92 MWp Saguling PLTS at 44%, and the 133 MWp Karangkates PLTS at 56%. Other projects are still in the launch, groundbreaking, and tender preparation phases. Minister Lahadalia mentioned that the construction of solar power plants will occur on a large scale over three years, with the cost of generation for the launched projects estimated at around 5-6 US cents per kilowatt-hour.

However, experts like Raditya Wiranegara from the Institute for Essential Services Reform have expressed concerns about the feasibility of the 100 GW target within three years. The country's current domestic solar module production capacity is only around 14 GW per year, which presents technical challenges. Moreover, the existing electricity infrastructure is primarily designed for base-load power plants, and grid modernization, including smart grids and battery-based energy storage, is necessary for the successful integration of solar power plants.