Power outage in Sumatra, PLN apologises

Power outage in Sumatra, PLN apologises

• Antara

VIVA – PT PLN (Persero) apologises for the total blackout in Central and Northern Sumatra caused by a system disturbance, resulting in darkness since 18:45 Western Indonesian Time on Friday, 22 May 2026. The Communications Manager for the Regional Distribution Unit of Riau and the Riau Islands, I Komang Gede Sastrawan, said an investigation is underway into the system disturbance affecting Riau and surrounding areas since 18:44 WIB.

“We apologise for the inconvenience. Preliminary information at 18:44 WIB indicates the Northern Sumatra – Central Sumatra system is separated and the Northern Sumatra area is in total blackout. Load shedding is still being recorded,” he said in a Pekanbaru statement on Friday night.

He added that PLN’s technical teams have been deployed to the field to carry out a thorough check of the system and electrical network, as well as trace the cause of the disturbance.

PLN urged the public to remain calm and not panic. Information on the handling of the disruption will be provided periodically via the PLN Mobile app and the PLN 123 Contact Centre service.

“We apologise, ladies and gentlemen. Preliminary information indicates the blackout is spreading due to a disturbance in the Central Sumatra and Northern Sumatra system,” he added.

Meanwhile, electricity monitoring in Pekanbaru city and surrounding areas showed a total outage. This not only darkens buildings but also disables traffic lights. In light of this, residents are complaining about the blackout at night. Moreover, the weather in Pekanbaru is hot, making it uncomfortable.