Indonesia steps up implementation of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard to advance sustainable development
Indonesia today reaffirmed its long-standing partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) to implement internationally recognised sustainability standards across its significant hydropower development pipeline.
The Hydropower Sustainability Alliance partnered with and the Indonesia Network of Learning Centers for Environmental and Social Sustainability (NLC-ESS) and Equator Group to host a workshop in Jakarta on implementation of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard
Nearly a decade of collaboration has seen more than 100 Indonesian hydropower professionals trained through online and in-person programmes on the Hydropower Sustainability Standard (HSS), strengthening national capacity in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) best practice. This capacity-building initiative, which began in 2017, has been delivered through a strategic partnership between HSA and the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), with support from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
As a result of this sustained engagement, the Hydropower Sustainability Standard is now widely recognised across Indonesian government institutions as a trusted and practical framework for guiding responsible hydropower development. Several major projects have already applied the HSS, including PLTA Asahan 3 in North Sumatra (developed by PLN) and PLTA Mentarang Induk in North Kalimantan (developed by PT Kayan Hydropower Nusantara).
One of the most significant milestones of this collaboration is the assessment of the 174 MW Asahan 3 Hydroelectric Project in North Sumatra. Completed in December 2024, this marked the first project developed by Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) to be assessed under the HSS. The project team is now progressing toward certification, which could result in Indonesia’s first HSS-certified hydropower project and represents a further step in embedding sustainability principles into project planning, implementation, and long-term management.
Building on this momentum, HSA has partnered with and the Indonesia Network of Learning Centers for Environmental and Social Sustainability (NLC-ESS) and Equator Group to deliver a dedicated workshop in Jakarta, focusing on the practical implementation of the HSS across hydropower projects in Indonesia.
“Raising the bar for sustainable hydropower development"
“Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen applied understanding of sustainability standards and support consistent implementation across projects,” said Rimun Wibowo, Chairman of the Indonesia Network of Learning Centers for Environmental and Social Sustainability (NLC-ESS) and President Director of Equator Group.
Indonesia has also developed its own locally based Accredited Assessors under the HSS as a result of this long-term collaboration, enhancing national ownership and long-term capacity for independent and consistent application of the Standard.
“Having locally based Accredited Assessors is an important milestone for national ownership and long-term capacity to apply the Hydropower Sustainability Standard independently and consistently, and we are proud to have helped deliver outcomes like this in Indonesia,” said Amina Kadyrzhanova, Head of the Training Academy at the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Indonesian institutions and partners to support this vital work that is raising the bar for sustainable hydropower development.”
Looking ahead, HSA is extending collaboration with Bappenas and PLN to apply HydroSelect across Indonesia’s hydropower pipeline. HydroSelect is a complementary early-stage screening tool designed to help prioritise hydropower projects that balance energy security with strong environmental and social performance. This approach enables a consistent, transparent, and risk-informed process for project selection from the earliest planning stages.
