Indonesia resumes coal exports after brief halt to secure PLN power supply

Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has allowed coal exports to resume after a temporary halt was imposed to secure supply for state-owned utility PT PLN, according to media reports. The halt had followed a series of rolling blackouts across Java triggered by a shortfall of medium-calorific-value coal.

Energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that the government in late June had temporarily held back granting permission for certain export cargoes to sail after discovering that PLN's coal-fired plants – requiring coal above 5,000 kcal/kg GAR for blending – were facing a supply gap. PLN's annual coal requirement stands