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Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly expressed his commitment to achieving 100% renewable energy within the next decade, yet the operation of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) continues. But in many cases, their early retirement is being delayed. The gap between commitment and realization of Indonesia’s energy independence ambitions remains significant.
Health impact calculations from Indonesia’s 20 most toxic CFPPs, known as the “Toxic Twenty”, indicate at least 156,000 premature deaths from air pollution and economic losses due to health impacts amounting to USD 109 billion (approximately IDR 1,813 trillion) projected between 2026 and 2050—the period covering their remaining operational years. The health impacts linked to CFPPs pollution include stroke, ischemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and diabetes.
The annual economic loss caused by these “Toxic Twenty” reaches IDR 52.4 trillion, with aggregate reductions in household income estimated at IDR 48.4 trillion. Furthermore, an estimated 1.45 million jobs are lost due to the operation of these plants, most of them in agriculture, plantation, and fisheries sectors, which are directly affected by environmental degradation.
In coastal areas, CFPP-related impacts have driven a shift in livelihoods. Many fishers and farmers are forced to become migrant workers as their traditional sources of income deteriorate. This transformation has placed local communities in an even more vulnerable socioeconomic position.
The list of the 20 most toxic CFPPs in this study should serve as a basis for the government and PLN to initiate the timely phase-out or decommissioning of their operations. It’s a crucial step to reduce economic, health, and environmental losses.
Contribution of the “Toxic Twenty” to the Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration in Indonesia’s Ambient Air
Toxic Twenty Report Launch Event
