Indonesian police confirm no sabotage behind Sumatra mass blackout
The transmission cable break is suspected to have occurred suddenly due to weather factors and still requires further technical and scientific investigation,Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Criminal Investigation Agency of the Indonesian National Police confirmed no sabotage involved in the major power outage in Sumatra on Friday (May 22).
“To date, we can confirm there were no indications of sabotage or deliberate action in the blackout,” the Deputy Chief of the Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, Inspector General Nunung Syaifuddin, said here on Monday.
Based on an investigation at towers 175 and 176 in Tempino Village, Jambi, preliminary findings showed that a disruption occurred on Friday at around 6:44 p.m. on the 275 kV Muara Bungo–Sungai Rumbai transmission line.
The joint team found a broken transmission cable, while the transmission tower was in good physical condition with no significant structural damage, Syaifuddin explained.
“The transmission cable break is suspected to have occurred suddenly due to weather factors and still requires further technical and scientific investigation,” he remarked.
According to him, this assessment was supported by testimony from local residents, who reported that power outages occurred in the surrounding area shortly before an explosion was heard near the transmission tower.
The joint team also coordinated with PT PLN and obtained information that the Sumatran electricity system had been operating normally and in an integrated state before the disruption occurred on May 22.
The investigation further showed that the Jambi transmission corridor, particularly the Muara Bungo–Sungai Rumbai line, carries major electricity flows toward West Sumatra.
As a result, any disruption along the line could potentially lead to significant power supply losses and trigger widespread blackouts across the Sumatran interconnection system.
Syaifuddin stated that preliminary findings point toward technical factors and extreme weather conditions as the likely causes of the transmission disruption, rather than sabotage.
However, the severed transmission cable has been sent to the National Police’s Forensic Laboratory Center for laboratory examination and further analysis to scientifically determine the exact cause of the damage.
“We are conducting the entire investigation process professionally, transparently, and comprehensively to determine the root cause of the incident scientifically and accountably. Therefore, we are involving the forensic laboratory to provide clearer scientific certainty,” he said.
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Translator: Nadia Putri R, Resinta Sulistiyandari