Puskepi: Sumatra Power Backbone Development Key to National Grid Resilience

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Public Policy Research Centre (Puskepi) has stated that developing Sumatra’s power backbone is a strategic step to strengthen the resilience of the national power system. According to Puskepi Director Sofyano Zakaria, this involves strengthening transmission networks at 500 kilovolts (kV), 275 kV, and developing 150 kV networks as outlined in the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) 2025-2034. ‘Enhancing Sumatra’s backbone will be a crucial foundation for creating a more integrated power system from Aceh to Lampung,’ he said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. He added that developing fast-response power plants, modernising protection systems, and implementing digital and predictive maintenance are also vital for strengthening system stability. ‘These large-scale disruptions are not unique to Indonesia; even developed countries have experienced blackouts,’ he noted. He cited the 2016 South Australian blackout caused by extreme weather, which led to a cascade of transmission failures, and the 2019 UK power system disturbance that caused widespread outages and disrupted public transport.