Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources: All 2026 Coal Mining Work Plans Approved, Production Quotas Increased
Sat 24 Oct 2026, 09:16 AM
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The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) claimed that the process of issuing the 2027 Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) for coal had been fully completed, with a slight increase in production quotas from the approved quota of 720 million metric tons.
Director General of Minerals and Coal at the ESDM Ministry Tri Winarno revealed that the ministry had approved a coal RKAB of around 720 million metric tons, with a slight relaxation added.
Tri confirmed that the relaxation granted was relatively small, keeping the approved production quota at around 700 million metric tons.
“For 2026, the case is closed. Yes, the minister said there would be a slight relaxation [from around 720 million metric tons],” Tri told reporters in Central Jakarta on Friday night (October 23, 2026).
Previously, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that the price of Indonesian high-calorific coal, with a calorific value equivalent of 6,322 kcal/kg GAR, was hovering around USD 154 per metric ton (mt).
Bahlil noted that coal prices continued to rise, prompting him to continue increasing production through limited production quota relaxations.
“Today, [the price of coal] has reached USD 154 per ton for coal with a calorific value of 6,322, and our hope is indeed for prices to be good, so we can increase production. For now, we will continue to implement limited relaxations to maintain supply and demand,” Bahlil told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex on Monday (October 19, 2026).
It is worth noting that earlier this year, many mineral and coal mining companies complained that they had yet to receive approval for their 2026 RKAB, despite January 2026 already having begun.
The ESDM Ministry acknowledged that it had not issued approvals for the 2026 RKAB in early January, amid government plans to cut production of several mining commodities to support prices this year.
As a result of the delay, several mining companies were even forced to temporarily suspend their mining operations, preventing them from continuing production.
The ESDM Ministry eventually granted mining companies a relaxation allowing them to continue operating for three months, subject to a production limit of 25% of the 2026 RKAB under the three-year version.
Separately, the ESDM Ministry set the coal production quota under the 2026 RKAB at around 600 million tons, down from actual production of 817.48 million tons in 2025.
Nevertheless, mining companies may apply to revise their RKAB after submitting periodic reports through the second quarter, or no later than July 31 of the current year.
For coal, the ESDM Ministry estimated that production would reach 720 million metric tons by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, based on Kpler vessel-tracking data compiled by SX Coal, seaborne coal exports to China reached 12.42 million metric tons in September 2026, down 15.48% month-on-month (mtm) and 32.97% year-on-year (yoy).
Overall, Indonesia's seaborne coal exports totaled 36.45 million metric tons in September 2026, edging up 0.52% from the previous month but declining 18.11% yoy.
Furthermore, SX Coal recorded India as the second-largest destination for Indonesian coal exports, with a volume of 8.53 million metric tons in September 2026.
The figure reportedly rose 22.03% from the previous month but fell 3.63% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Meanwhile, Indonesian coal exports to the Philippines reached 3.37 million metric tons in September 2026, up 9.02% from the previous month and 6.97% from a year earlier.
Indonesian coal exports to Malaysia reached 1.87 million metric tons in September 2026, down 10.69% month-on-month and 26.02% year-on-year.
Coal exports to Vietnam reached 1.86 million metric tons in September 2026, falling 8.37% month-on-month but rising 4.77% year-on-year.
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