PLN shuts down 154 substations

JAKARTA: The state-owned electricity company PT PLN's Jakarta and Tangerang Distribution Unit has switched off 154 electrical substations following flooding over the last two days.

On Monday, PLN announced that 97 substations had been shut down. By Wednesday, that number had grown to 154.

A total of 129 substations in Central Jakarta's Gambir subdistrict, Kota in West Jakarta and Priok subdistrict in North Jakarta had to be shut down. The closure of the substations has caused blackouts in the nightclub district in Mangga Besar, parts of the Pantai Indah Kapuk luxury housing estate, the five-star Hotel Regent in Setia Budi and the flood-prone area of Teluk Gong, among other places.

Seventeen substations in the Kramat Jati and Jatinegara areas were also shut down, cutting power to parts of Pasar Minggu and Bukit Duri as well as the Manggarai railway depot.

PLN also said it had to close down two substations in Kebayoran and six substations in Tangerang, west of Jakarta, due to the flooding.

Two men died as a result of electrocution during the massive, week-long floods that first struck Jakarta on Jan. 28. The recent sub-station closures are aimed at preventing further casualties. -- JP