Jakarta, June 25 -- Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that substandard coal quality and supply mismanagement were the primary factors behind the recent rolling blackouts across Java Island, warning state electricity company PT PLN to fix its internal procurement issues.

Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Thursday, Bahlil revealed a failure to secure the proper grade of coal forced PLN to consume higher volumes of the commodity just to meet baseline power requirements.

"We conducted an investigation and found that power plant operations require medium coal with a calorie content above 5,000 for proper blending. When the quality falls below PLN's technical specifications, it requires significantly more ...