The government has lowered industrial gas prices from the range of USD 20–23 per MMBtu to USD 13 per MMBtu following a coordination meeting at the DPR led by Deputy Speaker of the House Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. Dasco called the decision good news for workers, as the previously high gas costs were feared to weigh down businesses and trigger layoffs.
The move was announced by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia after the meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Monday (June 29, 2026). According to Bahlil, the price reduction was set after calculations were finalized and reported to the President. This policy signals that the government wants to ease production burdens in the industrial sector, particularly for companies that rely heavily on gas as raw material or operational energy.
Dasco emphasized that complaints about gas prices came not only from business circles but also from labor unions anxious over the threat of workforce reductions. In his view, the government’s decision can provide breathing room for industries to keep production running without immediately resorting to extreme efficiency measures. He also assessed that the coordination meeting was crucial as it brought together executive elements, economic institutions, and the DPR leadership into a single policy discussion forum.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the National Economic Council, the Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, the Ministry of Finance, DPR leadership, members of Commission XI, the Ministry of ESDM, Pertamina, and Pertagas. Dasco said the forum discussed not only industrial gas prices but also economic growth and several issues that have emerged recently. The government, through the meeting participants, also presented several solutions to maintain economic stability.
This policy is also interpreted as an effort to ease workers’ concerns amidst energy cost pressures that have kept several industrial players on alert. If the gas burden drops, companies will have the opportunity to restructure production costs, maintain supplies, and preserve working rhythms without immediately cutting down on manpower. On the other hand, the government still needs to ensure that the price drop is genuinely felt at the industrial level and does not stop short as just a policy announcement.
Dasco expressed hope that the policies adopted through the coordination meeting would provide tangible benefits for workers, businesses, and the national economy. With the involvement of the DPR, Bank Indonesia, the Ministry of Finance, and energy SOEs, the forum indicates that the industrial gas price issue is viewed as a cross-sectoral problem directly linked to industrial competitiveness and job security.
Bahlil previously stated that the old price sat at the level of USD 20 to USD 23 per MMBtu. The drop to USD 13 per MMBtu is seen as a figure that offers more certainty for business actors, especially energy-intensive sectors sensitive to daily input cost changes.
