Soekarno-Hatta Airport Operates Normally despite Major Blackout

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has operated normally despite a major blackout that hit Greater Jakarta and West Java's areas on Sunday.

"There is a problem in power supply from (state-owned electricity firm) PLN. The troubles have caused power cutoff in Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta areas)," Senior Manager of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport's Branch Communication and Legal Febri Toga Simatupang said on Sunday.

Febri said, the power system at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is supported by four relay stations from PLN, channelled to the main power system of the state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero).

The four relay stations are Jakarta International Airport Cengkareng (JIAC) or Cengkareng I and Cengkareng II stations, Teluk Naga station in Tangerang and Tangerang Lama station. In addition, the power supply for the airport is also backed up with 17 generators and UPS.

"(The blackout) has briefly affected us. But it was immediately handled with the support of 17 generators. Power supply in the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has been under control, our services were not interrupted," Febri remarked.

Flight navigation operation has also run normally despite the major blackout. "We have prepared generators," President Director of Airnav Novie Riyanto said.

Riyanto ensured that all instruments related to flight safety has operated normally.

This major blackout has affected thousands of homes and public facilities in Greater Jakarta and West Java's areas on Sunday afternoon. The electricity went out at 11:48 a.m. local time.

The blackout also affected Jakarta's commuter train and MRT services.

State-owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PT PLN) has apologized to consumers for a major blackout that hit Greater Jakarta and West Java on Sunday.

"We apologize for the blackout. We are now attempting to normalize (the electricity supply). Some relay stations have been turned on," PLN's Executive Vice President Corporate Communication & CSR I Made Suprateka said in a statement.

He explained that the blackout was caused by trips or errors on the Suralaya turbine gas from number 1 to 6, while the turbine gas number 7 is off. Cilegon turbine gas-powered power plants in Banten are also experiencing troubles.

In West Java, a trouble in the Extra High Voltage (SUTET) 500 kV transmission has caused a power outage in such areas as Bandung, Bekasi, Cianjur, Cimahi, Cirebon, Garut, Karawang, Purwakarta, Majalaya, Sumedang, Tasikmalaya, Depok, Gunung Putri, Sukabumi, and Bogor.

PLN will take its best efforts to return the electric power in the regions to normal, Suprateka said.

ANTARA