Suroso Isnandar was appointed as the new President Director of PT PLN (Persero) during a general meeting of shareholders on October 14, 2026, replacing Darmawan Prasodjo. The leadership shift at Indonesia’s state electricity provider follows a power outage that struck Batam on October 12.
The leadership transition was confirmed by PLN Independent Andi Arief during the shareholder meeting, which included the company’s full board of directors, commissioners, and representatives from BP BUMN. The RUPS began at 18:30 Western Indonesia Time. Suroso takes the helm after previously serving as PLN’s Director of Project Management and New Renewable Energy, a post he assumed on June 18, 2025, based on Ministry of SOEs Decree Number SK-159/MBU/06/2025.
Shareholder Meeting Concludes Darmawan Prasodjo Era
The removal of Darmawan Prasodjo ends a tenure that began on December 6, 2021, following his service as Deputy President Director starting on December 23, 2019. Andi Arief praised Darmawan’s past contributions to corporate transformation while expressing confidence in the incoming leadership, noting to CNBC Indonesia that Suroso will temporarily retain his previous directorate responsibilities until a permanent successor is named.
Suroso Isnandar ditunjuk untuk menggantikan Darmawan Prasodjo sebagai Direktur Utama (Dirut) PT PLN (Persero), kata Komisaris PLN Andi Arief ketika dihubungi ANTARA dari Jakarta, Rabu.“Iya, pergantian dirut. Pak Darmawan digantikan oleh Pak Suroso,” ujar Andi Arief.… pic.twitter.com/jq6f868H7g
The corporate shakeup follows disruption caused by a transformer failure in Batam. In the wake of the blackout, Prabowo Subianto summoned key economic officials, including Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia and Investment Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, alongside the incoming PLN chief to the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on the afternoon of October 14 to outline demands for systemic reform, according to Republika. President Prabowo instructed leadership to accelerate national infrastructure upgrades, including an ambitious push toward 100 gigawatts of solar power capacity, while demanding tighter maintenance schedules to match soaring electricity demand.
Engineering Background and Corporate Career
Suroso brings a technical background to his new role. Born in Klaten on August 12, 1971, the 55-year-old executive completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Power System Engineering from ITB in 1994. He later obtained a Master of Science in Power System Engineering and Management from the University of Abertay in 1999, followed by a doctorate in electrical engineering from ITB in 2025.
Within PLN, Suroso has climbed through critical operational divisions. His prior leadership roles include:
- General Manager of the PLN Generation and Transmission Main Unit for Sulawesi from 2019 to 2021.
- General Manager of the Java, Madura, and Bali Load Dispatch Center from 2021 to 2022.
- Head of the Digital and Information Technology Unit at the PLN Head Office from 2022 to 2023.
- Director of Project Management and New Renewable Energy from June 2025 until his promotion to President Director.
In addition to his technical credentials, Suroso holds a Qualified Risk Governance Professional certification, highlighting a background in corporate risk management and governance.
Grid Recovery and Operational Priorities
Addressing reporters after his meeting at the State Palace, Suroso acknowledged the pressing operational challenges facing the utility, pointing specifically to the recent grid failures. He confirmed that while electricity service in Batam had been fully restored by October 14, restoration efforts in parts of Bintan were still ongoing. Suroso stated that PLN is conducting a thorough technical audit of its transformer maintenance routines to prevent repeat incidents as regional power consumption grows.
