According to him, the increase in electricity usage is an indicator of progress in economic development, particularly in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
"It seems that demand for electricity services is increasing, as are new demands for network expansion," the minister said on Wednesday after meeting the president director of the state electricity company PLN, Darmawan Prasodjo.
Sadewa said there has been a nationwide rise in electricity consumption, including in industrial zones.
He expressed hope that the growing demand could strengthen public optimism about Indonesia’s economic outlook.
"I hope that it continues to improve in the future," he said, adding that his ministry will monitor developments regularly by requesting updates every two weeks from PLN.
The minister reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing development opportunities indicated by the data.
However, he declined to comment on the possibility of additional stimulus measures, such as electricity cost discounts.
"That’s for later. It’s not my place to discuss it," Sadewa told reporters.
On September 12, Sadewa announced the disbursement of Rp200 trillion in government funds to five state-owned banks under the Association of State-Owned Banks.
The five recipient banks are Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), and Bank Mandiri, each receiving Rp55 trillion. Meanwhile, Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) received Rp25 trillion, and Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) received Rp10 trillion.
“Government funds are usually kept in Bank Indonesia, which banks cannot access. By reallocating part of these funds, banks can support the economy even if government spending is delayed,” he explained.
The return rate is set at 80.476 percent of the BI Rate.
He stressed that the funds must not be used to purchase government bonds but should instead be directed toward the real sector.
Sadewa expressed confidence that the banks will channel the funds into productive sectors to drive economic growth.
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Translator: Bayu Saputra, Mecca Yumna
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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