PLN glitches caused blackouts

State power firm PT PLN had its electricity generating capacity reduced by a total of 689 mega watts (MW) on Friday night, resulting in several blackouts in the Java-Bali distribution network.

The blackouts occurred due to a fuel supply shortage to PLN's Muara Tawar power plant in North Jakarta.

PLN said in a statement that areas affected by the blackouts were Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces. PLN, however, gave an assurance that the situation would not be prolonged as fuel supplies to Muara Tawar plant had returned to normal as of 9 p.m. on Friday.

In addition, the network would receive additional power from the Suralaya plant in West Java, which would be fully operational again on Saturday evening. -- JP