{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1765110,
        "msgid": "deputy-energy-and-mineral-resources-minister-exposes-lightning-strike-as-root-cause-of-sumatra-blackout-1780131049",
        "date": "2026-05-26 09:15:12",
        "title": "Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Exposes Lightning Strike as Root Cause of Sumatra Blackout",
        "author": "",
        "source": "VIVA",
        "tags": "bisnis",
        "topic": "Energy",
        "summary": "Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung confirmed the recent Sumatra blackout was caused by a lightning strike on a transmission line in Jambi, disrupting power to northern regions. The restoration process requires sequential restarting of power plants, with coal-fired stations taking up to 12 hours. The incident has prompted government directives to strengthen grid infrastructure and improve resilience against future disruptions.",
        "content": "<p>Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung stated\nthat the Sumatra blackout was purely due to natural factors, caused by a\ntransmission line struck by lightning. The lightning-struck transmission\nline was located in Marangin, Jambi, affecting electricity supply to\nnorthern Sumatra and causing the blackout. \u2018The power incident in\nSumatra involved a transmission network issue due to a lightning strike\nin Marangin. The lightning strike impacted the system\u2019s stability,\u2019\nYuliot told reporters at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Central\nJakarta, on Tuesday, 26 May 2026. \u2018So, technically, northern Sumatra\nrelies heavily on power from the south. When the incident occurred, the\nentire system experienced a blackout,\u2019 he added. Yuliot explained that\nwhen a system fails, it must be restarted sequentially, which takes\nconsiderable time. \u2018The restoration process begins with hydroelectric\nplants, followed by geothermal, diesel, and gas plants. Technically,\ncoal-fired plants require about 12 hours,\u2019 he said. For information, the\nwidespread blackout occurred in Sumatra on Friday, 22 May 2026, from\n6:44 pm WIB. According to PLN, the blackout in Sumatra was caused by\nsevere weather affecting parts of the regional power system. Energy and\nMineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has directed PLN to enhance\nthe reliability of Sumatra\u2019s backbone system through the construction of\n500 kV\/275 kV power plants and transmission lines, and strengthen\nsubsystems in each province. PLN also needs to prepare power plants for\nfaster recovery during outages. PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo\napologised to the public for the disruption and assured that all\npersonnel were working to restore the power system as quickly as\npossible. PLN indicated the initial fault originated from the 275 kV\ntransmission system between Muaro Bungo and Sungai Rumbai in Jambi,\nsuspected to be weather-related.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/deputy-energy-and-mineral-resources-minister-exposes-lightning-strike-as-root-cause-of-sumatra-blackout-1780131049",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}