January 9, 2026 | 05:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, has confirmed plans to reduce the national coal production target in the 2026 work plan and budget (RKAB) to approximately 600 million tons. This figure is lower than the previous year's target of 735 million tons.
"For the RKAB, the Director General of Mineral and Coal is still calculating, but it's definitely around 600 million tons. It could be slightly less or more," Bahlil said in a press conference at his office on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Bahlil stated that the final coal production figure has not been determined yet. He did not explain the reason for the delay in finalizing the RKAB.
The Golkar Party Chairperson mentioned that the production reduction aims to stabilize coal prices.
National coal production in 2025 reached 790 million tons, a 5.5 percent decrease compared to the 836 million tons produced in 2024. Despite the decline, Bahlil stated that the realization exceeded the 2025 target of 739.6 million tons. "Our total coal production in 2025 reached 790 million tons," he said.
Out of the total production, approximately 514 million tons or 65.1 percent were exported. Meanwhile, the domestic market obligation (DMO) reached 254 million tons, or roughly 32 percent. The remaining stock at the end of 2025 stood at 22 million tons, or 2.8 percent.
As of the first week of January 2026, the ESDM Ministry has not approved the RKAB for the upcoming year. The Director General of Mineral and Coal, Tri Winarno, attributed the delay to adjustments in production planning. "There are adjustments related to production," he said on Monday, January 5, 2026.
To maintain operations, the ESDM Ministry issued Circular Number 2.E/HK.03/DJB/2025. This regulation allows mining companies to continue operating until March 31, 2026, with a production limit of 25 percent of their annual plan.
This policy applies to companies that have submitted their 2026 RKAB, meet administrative requirements, and have reclamation guarantees.
Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI), Gita Mahyarani, viewed the circular as a measure to help companies maintain continuity. However, she emphasized the importance of certainty in issuing the 2026 RKAB and transparency in evaluation criteria.
"With certainty and transparency, businesses can develop more measured operational and investment plans," she told Tempo on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Chairperson of the Indonesian Mining Experts Association (Perhapi), Sudirman Widhy Hartono, stated that the delay in issuing the 2026 RKAB results from reverting to the annual RKAB scheme. According to him, this mechanism increases the approval burden due to the volume of mining companies.
Sudirman noted that there are more than 4,000 mining license holders requiring RKAB approval from the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal. Despite the government launching the MinerbaOne system to expedite the process, delays persist.
"We have not received a detailed explanation regarding the cause of the delay in RKAB approval," he said on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
He added that the delay directly impacts operational certainty and investment plans. Although there is production flexibility until March 31, 2026, businesses still require formal RKAB approval to conduct activities throughout the year.
Riri Rahayunigsih contributed to the report
Read: Ministry Seizes 70,000 Tons of Illegal Coal in East Kalimantan
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