Jakarta, INTI - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that the groundbreaking for the first phase of the 100-gigawatt (GW) solar power plant project is planned to take place in Bali and will be led by President Prabowo Subianto. However, Bahlil has not yet disclosed the schedule for the groundbreaking ceremony.
"I am currently working to secure a schedule from the President for the inauguration of the first phase of the 100 GW solar power plant. We will likely hold it in Bali," said Bahlil at the ESDM office.
Regarding the project's status within the 2025–2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL), Bahlil emphasized that the entire permitting process falls under the authority of the Ministry of ESDM. Therefore, the government ensures that all regulatory requirements will be met before groundbreaking and construction begin.
Bahlil stated that the plans to accelerate the project were discussed during a limited meeting with President Prabowo at the Merdeka Palace on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
Limited Land Availability
On the other hand, the Bali Provincial Government considers land scarcity a major challenge in developing large-scale solar power plants. The Secretary of the Bali Province Manpower and ESDM Agency, I Gede Ngurah Esa Maha Putra, stated that securing land plots larger than one hectare is becoming increasingly difficult, as the regional government is limiting the conversion of productive land to maintain food security.
“We have been receiving inquiries from domestic and foreign investors interested in building solar power plants. However, land availability is a challenge. Securing the necessary land where 1 MW of capacity requires approximately 1 hectare is difficult,” he said during the Indonesia Solar Summit on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Solar Power Plants in Bali
In addition to land scarcity, land prices in Bali are relatively high, thereby increasing the project's initial investment costs. Currently, the largest solar power plant in Bali is located in Karangasem Regency, developed by Medco Energy, with a capacity of 25 MW.
Meanwhile, the total capacity of new and renewable energy plants in Bali is currently approximately 45 MW, dominated by solar power plants and mini-hydro power plants (PLTMH). Ngurah also revealed that seven solar power projects are currently under construction.
To address land constraints, the Bali Provincial Government is encouraging the development of rooftop solar power systems on office buildings, hotels, villas, and residential properties. There are currently around 600 applications for solar installations, mostly from hotels, restaurants, cafes, and households, to create new investment opportunities.
Based on PLN’s RUPTL, the solar power capacity in Bali is targeted to rise to 629.39 MW by 2034 as part of the effort to achieve energy independence for Bali through clean energy. Currently, Bali’s electricity system has a dependable capacity of approximately 1,700 MW, with a peak load of around 1,290 MW at night and a power reserve of 226 MW.
Conclusion
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that the groundbreaking for the first phase of the 100 GW solar power plant project will take place in Bali and is targeted to be led by President Prabowo Subianto. The schedule has not yet been finalized. The government said that all permitting requirements will be met before the groundbreaking. Meanwhile, the Bali Provincial Government identifies land scarcity and high land prices as major challenges for large-scale solar development, prompting a push for rooftop solar installations.
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