During the Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 holiday period, PT PLN (Persero) recorded a 479 percent increase in electricity consumption at public electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU) compared to the same period last year (15/12–05/01).

PLN Reports Record EV Charging Growth

Between 15 December 2025 and 5 January 2026, total electricity delivered for EV charging reached 5,619 megawatt-hours (MWh), rising from 1,174 MWh during the Nataru 2024/2025 period. The number of charging sessions also increased to 234,136, up 485 percent from 48,254 sessions in the previous year.

CEO Highlights Changing EV Usage Patterns

PLN CEO Darmawan Prasodjo said, “During the Christmas and New Year period, as public mobility increases, electric vehicles are used not only for short-distance trips but also for long-distance travel, including festive travel and vacations.”

He added that the rise in charging activity coincided with PLN’s readiness to serve users across multiple regions. “The SPKLU network across the country was used to meet charging needs during the holiday period. Infrastructure readiness helped support EV user mobility amid heavy travel,” Darmawan explained.

Infrastructure and Personnel Prepared for Holiday Demand

PLN deployed 4,648 SPKLU units nationwide with support from 5,190 personnel. Along major travel routes in Sumatra, Java, and Bali, 1,515 SPKLU units were operated, tripling availability compared to Nataru 2024/2025.

Digital Services Enhance Charging Experience

PLN also utilized digital services through the PLN Mobile application. The Trip Planner feature enabled users to plan routes based on distance and SPKLU locations, while the AntreEV feature helped manage charging queues during peak travel periods.

“Alongside a growing EV ecosystem, we will continue to improve EV charging readiness by strengthening infrastructure and support services in all regions,” Darmawan concluded.

PHOTO: PLN

This article was created with AI assistance.