TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believes that Indonesia will soon achieve energy independence or self-sufficiency in the near future. The indication is that Prabowo predicts that the government will no longer import fuel oil or BBM in the next five years.

"I believe that in the near future we will no longer import BBM from abroad. I am confident that in five years we will no longer import BBM," said Prabowo, monitored via the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Monday, January 20, 2025.

So what makes Prabowo confident that Indonesia will be self-sufficient in energy in the near future and will not import BBM in the next five years?

The reason Prabowo is confident that Indonesia will not import BBM again in 5 years

Prabowo made this statement when inaugurating 37 strategic national electricity projects, which include 26 power plants and 11 transmissions and substations in 18 provinces. The inauguration was centered at the Jatigede Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA), Sumedang Regency, West Java Province.

Prabowo is confident that Indonesia will not import fuel in the next five years in line with the government's efforts to realize energy self-sufficiency. One of them is by building dozens of PLTA projects. This project is claimed to produce 3.2 gigawatts of electricity.

"Maybe it needs to be verified that this is the largest energy project in the world, maybe the 3.2 gigawatts that we inaugurated at once. Of course this is the work of the entire Indonesian nation, the hard work of the nation's sons and daughters from all agencies, all institutions and agencies," said Prabowo.

In addition to the power plant, this project also includes the construction of a transmission network of 739.71 circuit kilometers (kms) and a substation with a capacity of 1,740 megavolt ampere (MVA). Prabowo emphasized that this infrastructure is an important foundation to support economic transformation towards an industrial country.

Reported from Antara, Indonesia, said Prabowo, must become a country that masters technology. The control is to manage resources into finished goods and industrial goods. The purpose of energy transformation is to improve the welfare of the nation and eliminate poverty.

"For that, energy is very vital. We have very large natural resources. Now we have the ability to carry out this transformation," said Prabowo.

The General Chairperson of the Gerindra Party also claimed that Indonesia is currently the most advanced country compared to other countries in carrying out energy transformation. In this case, Indonesia is able to make energy transformation into renewable energy and clean energy that reduces carbon emissions.

"Many countries are shouting. I don't think we need to shout but we realize that transformation," said the former Minister of Defense.

The inauguration of the electricity project was also attended by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Darmawan Prasodjo, Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article.

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