PLN Accelerates Power Restoration in Disaster-Hit Regions

Ongoing Challenges in Aceh and North Sumatra

The recent floods and landslides in Aceh and North Sumatra have left significant portions of the population without electricity, with multiple regions still experiencing blackouts. Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian highlighted the ongoing issues during a coordination meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta. The affected areas include major parts of Aceh and North Sumatra, particularly Tapanuli and Sibolga.

Infrastructure Damage Assessment

Tito Karnavian explained that Aceh's power infrastructure suffered significant damage, particularly the transmission lines connecting key power plants to the distribution network. The PLTG Arun in Lhokseumawe and PLTU Nagan Raya are Aceh's primary power sources, with Arun serving eastern Aceh and Kota Langsa. The transmission line from Arun to Banda Aceh was damaged, causing widespread power outages.

Restoration Timeline and Efforts

The Minister reported that restoration efforts are underway, with a timeline of approximately 5 days for equipment delivery and 2 days for installation, suggesting that power could be restored by Saturday in Aceh. Suroso Isnandar, Director of Project Management and New Renewable Energy at PLN, confirmed that the company is working around the clock to restore electricity. PLN has deployed an all-out effort to restore power and resume normal service as quickly as possible.

Impact and Response

The power outage has significantly impacted daily life in the affected regions, with communication networks and essential services disrupted. The restoration of electricity is critical to resuming normalcy and supporting relief efforts in the disaster-affected areas. PLN's efforts are focused on quickly restoring power infrastructure while ensuring safety and reliability.