Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Exposes Lightning Strike as Root Cause of Sumatra Blackout

Deputy Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Yuliot Tanjung stated that the Sumatra blackout was purely due to natural factors, caused by a transmission line struck by lightning. The lightning-struck transmission line was located in Marangin, Jambi, affecting electricity supply to northern Sumatra and causing the blackout. ‘The power incident in Sumatra involved a transmission network issue due to a lightning strike in Marangin. The lightning strike impacted the system’s stability,’ Yuliot told reporters at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 26 May 2026. ‘So, technically, northern Sumatra relies heavily on power from the south. When the incident occurred, the entire system experienced a blackout,’ he added. Yuliot explained that when a system fails, it must be restarted sequentially, which takes considerable time. ‘The restoration process begins with hydroelectric plants, followed by geothermal, diesel, and gas plants. Technically, coal-fired plants require about 12 hours,’ he said. For information, the widespread blackout occurred in Sumatra on Friday, 22 May 2026, from 6:44 pm WIB. According to PLN, the blackout in Sumatra was caused by severe weather affecting parts of the regional power system. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has directed PLN to enhance the reliability of Sumatra’s backbone system through the construction of 500 kV/275 kV power plants and transmission lines, and strengthen subsystems in each province. PLN also needs to prepare power plants for faster recovery during outages. PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo apologised to the public for the disruption and assured that all personnel were working to restore the power system as quickly as possible. PLN indicated the initial fault originated from the 275 kV transmission system between Muaro Bungo and Sungai Rumbai in Jambi, suspected to be weather-related.