North Sumatra Governor Reprimands PLN Over Impact of Rolling Blackouts
Medan, North Sumatra — The Governor of North Sumatra, Bobby Nasution, has reprimanded the management of PT PLN (Persero) North Sumatra Distribution Main Unit regarding the impact of rolling blackouts, demanding that the company take responsibility for the losses incurred by the people of North Sumatra.
“The public is complaining. They are suffering losses due to these rolling blackouts, especially small entrepreneurs who rely on electricity,” said Bobby during a visit to the PT PLN (Persero) North Sumatra Load Dispatch Unit Office in Medan on Monday.
The Governor conveyed grievances regarding the rolling blackouts that have occurred over the past few days across various regencies and cities throughout North Sumatra. Furthermore, customers have reportedly not received information regarding the schedules or the specific areas affected, leading to criticisms that PLN has failed to provide sufficient time for the public to make necessary preparations.
“The problem is, we do not know how the power outages are progressing. The public is not clearly informed, so there is no preparation. This is happening repeatedly every day,” Bobby explained.
He noted that while the rolling blackouts are a result of damage to dozens of electricity transmission towers caused by extreme weather, this should be accompanied by transparent information sharing. “Inform us (the government) so we can assist where possible. PLN should also inform regional heads (regents/mayors) so they are aware and can assist in socialising the information to the community. Do not continue to make excuses,” Bobby asserted.
In light of these conditions, the Governor requested that PLN provide compensation to all affected customers in North Sumatra. This compensation does not necessarily have to be in cash, but could include reductions in electricity bills or discounts on token purchases for prepaid customers, in accordance with applicable regulations.
“Regarding the amount of compensation, we leave it to PLN to determine. However, our clear emphasis is that there must be compensation,” Bobby stated.
The Governor also highlighted the disparity in treatment, noting that customers who are even slightly late in paying their monthly electricity bills face immediate sanctions, including disconnection or the removal of meters. “We will wait two to three days for the repair process to conclude.”
The General Manager of PLN North Sumatra Distribution Main Unit, Mundakhir Salman, apologised to Governor Bobby Nasution and the people of North Sumatra for the service disruptions. He stated that PLN is currently accelerating repairs on 12 extra-high voltage overhead transmission towers (SUTET) that were damaged. Regarding the proposal for customer compensation, Mundakhir noted, “We will forward the proposal for customer compensation to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), as the authority to determine compensation lies with the central government.”