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New task force no guarantor of progress in coal retirement
The creation of a new task force signals growing government support for the early retirement of coal power plants, but experts warn the initiative may fail unless it is backed by strong political will and international funding.
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A bus travels near the Cirebon-1 coal-fired power plant in Cirebon, West Java, on Oct. 18, 2020. (Antara/Yudhi Mahatma)
T
he creation of a new task force signals growing government support for the early retirement of coal-fired power plants, but experts warn the initiative may fail unless it is backed by strong political will and international funding.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry will form a joint working team to accelerate the exit from coal power, as outlined in Ministerial Regulation No. 10/2025, which took effect on April 10.
Article 6 of the regulation bans new coal plant development, except under strict conditions, such as integration with strategic industries and with a commitment to reducing carbon emissions by at least 35 percent from 2021 levels, and with operations ending no later than 2050.
The regulation’s appendix assigns state-owned electricity company PLN to review the early retirement strategy, supported by domestic or international funding, to implement a faster coal phase-out.
Agung Budiono, executive director of renewables pressure group Yayasan Indonesia Cerah, said forming a joint working team was a promising step, but its impact would depend on a well-defined mandate and a strict implementation timeline.
“Without transparent, inclusive engagement, especially with civil society and affected communities, the team is at risk of becoming another bureaucratic formality, further delaying coal phase-out plans that have languished for years,” he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The formation of a working team alone does not prove the government’s determination for coal plant retirement, according to the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL).
