Massive power outage disrupts residents' activities in Aceh

A widespread power outage affected several regions in Sumatra, including Aceh, leaving residents without electricity and resorting to candles for light. PT PLN (Persero) said the mass blackout was triggered by a fault in the interconnection transmission system of the Extra High Voltage Transmission Line (SUTET) 275 kV on the Lubuk Linggau–Lahat corridor in South Sumatra. Early investigations indicated that lightning strikes and network disturbances arising from tree-clearing contributed to an imbalance in the electrical system and disrupted supply to South Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, Lampung, West Sumatra, Riau, North Sumatra, and up to Aceh. Traders used generator sets (gensets) to maintain business operations during the outage. Affected residents observed lighting from flashlights and candles as the outage persisted. (FOTO : ANTARA FOTO/Akramul Muslim)