BEM SI Demands PLN Take Responsibility for Sumatra Blackout Losses

JAKARTA - The National Student Executive Body (BEM SI) has demanded that state electricity company PLN take responsibility for the widespread power outages in parts of Sumatra. “PLN must provide transparent explanations to the public and take responsibility for the losses suffered by citizens, including in the production sector, SMEs, small traders, and households,” said Muzammil Ihsan, Central Coordinator of BEM SI, in a statement on Monday (25 May 2026). “This is not a minor issue as the people are the ones affected,” he stressed. He added that PLN has left thousands of Sumatrans affected by days-long blackouts without clear solutions or compensation. He stated that the mass power outage reveals weaknesses in national electricity system anticipation and management, particularly in Sumatra. BEM SI considers the multi-day blackout not a routine technical disruption but a public service failure with widespread societal impact. He also called on the government to intervene immediately to ensure transparency on the blackout’s cause, clear recovery steps, and fair compensation for affected communities across Sumatra. The blackout occurred in several Sumatra regions on Friday (22 May 2026) evening. PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said the initial indication of the disturbance was on a 275 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between Muara Bungo and Sungai Rumbai in Jambi. “This is an initial indication; there is a 275 kV transmission line between Muara Bungo and Sungai Rumbai in Jambi that appears to have been affected by weather conditions,” Darmawan stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday (23 May 2026). The transmission line disturbance caused the Sumatra power grid to disconnect, leading to supply and demand imbalances in several areas. PLN explained that some power plants experienced oversupply due to disrupted power flow, causing frequency and voltage to rise and triggering automatic protection systems.