Jakarta, INTI - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is accelerating the development of 34 waste to energy power plant (PLTSa) projects in various cities in response to the threat of landfills being at full capacity by 2028.
The government is targeting the construction of PLTSa in 34 cities in 2026–2027. The program aims to reduce urban waste accumulation while simultaneously generating renewable energy based on environmentally friendly technology.
"Urban waste management is a priority activity directly monitored by President Prabowo. Therefore, serious and systematic efforts are needed to ensure that waste is no longer a source of problems but instead provides benefits," said Deputy Minister of ESDM Yuliot Tanjung at the Benowo Landfill in Surabaya, Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Yuliot explained that the government has issued Presidential Regulation Number 109 of 2025 as a legal framework for accelerating PLTSa projects. This regulation strengthens policy integration between the central and regional governments in urban waste management.
Benowo Landfill Waste to Electricity Facility
In Surabaya, integrated waste management is implemented through the waste to electricity (PSEL) facility at the Benowo Landfill. This facility processes waste from the city and surrounding areas with a capacity of up to 1,600 tons per day.
PT Sumber Organik President Director, Agus Nugroho Santoso, explained that processing not only new waste but also old waste that has accumulated at the landfill. This approach accelerates waste volume reduction while increasing added value.
"We process waste, both old and new, into useful materials," Agus said.
The Benowo PSEL facility has been operational since May 6, 2021, and has become a benchmark for national PLTSa development. Waste processing at this site continues to be developed through the integration of additional technologies.
PT Prakarsa Energi Sejahtera is currently constructing a waste to fuel facility to process plastic waste into fuel. The process begins with sorting the plastic raw materials, then processing them through pyrolysis technology with an emission control system (flue gas treatment) to meet environmental standards. The facility is still under construction and is designed to produce renewable fuel equivalent to diesel. Test results indicate a potential production of 60–70 kiloliters per day.
Conclusion
The Ministry of ESDM plans to speed up PLTSa projects construction in 34 cities in 2026–2027. This program aims to reduce waste while producing energy, with the example of PSEL Benowo Surabaya, which can process up to 1,600 tons of waste per day. A waste-to-fuel facility at Benowo Landfill is also being developed to process plastic into fuel.
Read more: PLN Requires 48,000 Kilometers of Transmission Circuits to Support Renewable Energy Expansion