The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has set the September 2023 Coal Reference Price (HBA) at US$133.13.
This reference price is down 26% from August 2023, which was US$179.90. The decline in the coal reference price has actually been occurring since April 2023, although it saw a very slight increase in July 2023.
The breakdown of the September 2023 HBA is as follows: HBA I at US$89.11; HBA II at US$53.83; and HBA III at US$31.82.
Among all these types, only HBA I saw an increase from August 2023, as shown in the graph.
Previously, the HBA was determined based on the average index of the Indonesia Coal Index (ICI), Newcastle Export Index (NEX), Globalcoal Newcastle Index (GCNC), and Platt's 5900, with quality equated to a calorific value of 6,322 kcal/kg GAR, total moisture of 8%, total sulfur of 0.8%, and ash of 15%.
The HBA is now calculated based on the average of the realized coal selling price from the previous month (70% proportion), and the realized price from two months prior (30% proportion).
The HBA is also differentiated into four categories based on coal quality, namely:
* HBA: calorific value equivalent of 6,322 kcal/kg GAR, total moisture 12.26%, total sulfur 0.66%, and ash 7.94%.
* HBA I: calorific value equivalent of 5,300 kcal/kg GAR, total moisture 21.32%, total sulfur 0.75%, and ash 6.04%.
* HBA II: calorific value equivalent of 4,100 kcal/kg GAR, total moisture 35.73%, total sulfur 0.23%, and ash 3.90%.
* HBA III: calorific value equivalent of 3,400 kcal/kg GAR, total moisture 44.30%, total sulfur 0.24%, and ash 3.88%.
The August 2023 HBA is stipulated in the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia Number 290.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2023 concerning the Reference Price for Metal Minerals and the Reference Price for Coal for September 2023, dated September 14, 2023.
(See also: Indonesia's Coal Reference Price Plunges 6.1% in August 2023)