REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA  — State Electricity Company (PLN) confirmed a major blackout that hitted Greater Jakarta and parts of West and Central Java on last Sunday (August 4) was not because of earthquake and sabotage. However, the company stressed the recovery process took more than 24 hours and in some areas, power outages still occurred. 

According to PLN’s acting president director Sripeni Inten Cahyani, there was electricity transmission disruptions on Java-Bali power system. She said during this time, Java and Bali supported by the northern and southern networks with a power capacity of up to 500 KV. However, the two Ungaran and Pemalang circuits were broken so that the power from east to west automatically moved to the south.

Sripeni also revealed PLN was indeed doing network maintenance for the southern network on Sunday (August 4) and it was often carried out by the company on kind of holidays. They considered the electricity load is relatively low on holidays, such as on the weekend (Saturday - Sunday), compared than weekdays. 

"One southern lane is in the process of maintenance so that only one lane remains. When two northern circuits become loose and enter the southern lane, this causes a system shake," Inten said at PLN Headquarters on Monday (August 5). 

Sripeni stressed the cause of electricity transmission disruptions was not because earthquake that hitted Banten, West Java on last Saturday (August 3). She also denied the rumour that said there was sabotage behind a massive blackout. 

According to Sripeni, the cause of electricity transmission disruptions is due to technical reason. However, she said PLN will coordinate with independent parties to carry out the investigation process becaus, there are many causes that could have caused disruption of power plants.

“So if we talk about voltage systems there are many things. We are currently in investigating process because there are many causes behind this incident such as kites and trees that fall down on the 500 kV open network,” Inten explained. 

A major blackout on last Sunday (August 4) was reported to affect thousands of homes and public facilities in Greater Jakarta and West Java. The electricity went off at around 11.48 pm and it lasts for almost eight hours. 

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