PLN Watch urges public to filter information on electricity services

Jakarta (ANTARA) - PLN Watch Chairman Tohom Purba has urged the public to be more discerning in filtering information related to electricity services and not to readily believe unverified news claiming to represent PT PLN (Persero), particularly regarding blackout issues. He stated that information about planned network maintenance, which was said to cause a total blackout for three days in Java and Bali, has the potential to create unrest within the community. “Information like this must be addressed with a cool head; do not immediately believe and disseminate it. It is best to verify it first through PLN’s official channels,” Tohom said in an official statement received in Jakarta on Sunday. According to him, electricity issues are directly linked to economic activity, public services, education, health, and household life, so the veracity of circulating information must be confirmed. He assessed that the spread of unaccountable information not only harms PLN but also has the potential to disturb the peace of mind of a public that requires certainty. “In a situation like this, what is needed is public support, not panic triggered by false information,” he stated. Tohom said criticism of electricity services remains necessary as part of public oversight, but it must be conveyed based on data and aimed at encouraging service improvements. He noted that the public has the right to an explanation if service disruptions occur, but spreading information without an official source can actually worsen the situation. “If there is a disruption, of course the public has the right to an explanation, but spreading news of a three-day total blackout without an official source is not a form of concern, but rather an act that can aggravate the situation,” he remarked. Tohom assessed that the reliability of the national electricity system is an important part of economic and social resilience, and therefore needs to be supported by public participation in maintaining a healthy information space. He also invited the public to utilise PLN’s official channels to obtain service information or report disruptions occurring in the field. Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications and TJSL at PT PLN (Persero), Gregorius Adi Trianto, has firmly stated that the information regarding total planned network maintenance in Java and Bali that would result in a non-stop three-day blackout is untrue. According to Gregorius, the information did not originate from PLN and its veracity cannot be accounted for. Therefore, the public is urged to obtain electricity service and operational information through the company’s official communication channels. Separately, PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo has apologised to the public for the rolling blackouts in Java, which were affected by disruptions in the supply of medium-calorie coal and technical constraints at two steam power plants owned by Independent Power Producers that are PLN’s partners. Darmawan said the coal supply for several plants in Java has begun to flow again and PLN continues to undertake various efforts so that the disruptions impacting the rolling blackouts can be resolved promptly.