Probing Java-Bali Network

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

The Senayan area of Central Jakarta is dark against the background of buildings along Jl. Jendral Sudirman during a blackout on Sunday (4/8/2019). The major power outage that hit Jakarta and its surrounding area disrupted transportation and economic activities for millions of residents.

The massive power outage on Sunday that hit Banten, Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek), West Java and parts of Central Java raises questions about the reliability of the country’s electricity management system.

Quickly responding to the situation by issuing an apology and providing an initial explanation, state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said the power outage that began on Sunday at 11:45 a.m. Western Indonesia Time was caused by a faulty transmission on the Ungaran and Pemalang substations.

The transmission problem interrupted the electricity supply from east to west, followed by disruptions at the West Java and central power stations. The simultaneous power outage in almost half of Java caused confusion and panic among residents.

Almost all daily activities depend on electricity, including communication, transportation, clean water, banking and other financial transactions, especially lighting at night.

The electricity was restored gradually, with electricity restored to parts of West Java around 4:30 p.m. and to parts of Jabodetabek an hour later.

This not is the first blackout on the Java-Bali network. The network went down in 1997. According to Kompas’ records, six disruptions occurred on the Java-Bali netork from 2001 to 2008, including disruptions on 18 Aug. 2005 at the Muara Karang power station, the Suralaya power station, the Tambaklorok power station and the Paiton power station, and the electricity supply to parts of West Java, Central Java and Bali was completely cut off.

The public demands an explanation regarding Sunday’s massive power outage that affected many parts of Java from PLN, which is licensed to provide electricity in the country, including why the blackout occurred and what steps are be taken to prevent a similar recurrence.

The lengthy process required to restore the power supply has raised questions about the reliability of the national electricity system. We feel that the network contains a weakness, because faulty transmission at the Ungaran high voltage substation could disrupt the electricity supply to half of Java.

The upstream-downstream electricity system is a reflection of the nation\'s progress in many aspects such as mindset, knowledge and action. We need a reliable system to support modern competitiveness and business. Moreover, we must also compete in Industry 4.0.

The blackout on the Java-Bali network (again) is an opportunity to reorganize the electricity supply, including diversifying power sources based on comparative advantages, particularly renewable and environmentally friendly energy, the distribution grid, financing and finally, electricity prices for consumers.

We are awaiting the results of PLN\'s internal investigation on the Java-Bali network through an independent team, as well as the steps PLN will take to prevent recurring power outages.