Hours of Power Outages Drive Surge in Generator Sales in Medan

Electricity outages have persisted in Medan, North Sumatra, since yesterday. The power failures, which have lasted for several hours, have prompted a surge of residents visiting generator set (genset) shops.

According to reports from Jalan Pandu, Medan, numerous shops selling generator engines have seen a high volume of customers. Residents are flocking to these stores to purchase generators as backup power supplies for their homes.

Dedy, a resident of Delitua and one of the customers, stated that he chose to buy a generator because he fears that rotational blackouts may continue. He expressed that the power outages, which began on Friday afternoon, have been extremely disruptive.

“I am afraid that the electricity will take a long time to recover, so I chose to be prepared. Electricity is vital; we need it to light our homes, keep refrigerators running so food does not spoil, and to charge mobile phones,” Dedy told reporters.

Dedy noted that he had to purchase the generator for essential household needs. He also mentioned that the prices of generator sets have been increasing.

“I have no choice but to buy a generator because it is much needed. Furthermore, I am concerned for the elderly parents at home. The price I paid was around Rp 4 million,” he added.

Dedy described the conditions in his home and among other residents in Delitua during the outages as being in total darkness. He also noted that the temperature inside his house became very hot due to the inability to operate fans or other air conditioning units.