Jokowi Questions PLN Handling in Power Outage

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo assessed the power outage in half areas of Java Island could tarnish the name of PLN. He questioned the state electricity firm that did not promptly overcome the problems.

“We know this incident does not only destroy the reputation of PLN but also others, especially, consumers are harmed. Public transportation services are also in danger, such as MRT,” said the President while visiting the central office of PLN in South Jakarta, Monday, August 5.

Jokowi also questioned the company’s back-up plan in dealing with the massive blackout on Sunday. “Such huge management should have a contingency plan. My question is, why it did not work out quickly and properly?” he underlined.

The President then demanded the PLN acting director, Sripeni Inten Cahyani, explain the incident in short. He recalled that a long-hour blackout had occurred in 2002 in Java and Bali areas. The past event should have been taken as a lesson to prevent recurrence in the future.

Cahyani expressed her apology and exposed the President that the incident caused by several troubles in the extra high voltage 500 kV transmission of Ungaran - Pemalang. Thus there was a failure in the energy transfer from the east to the west, followed by disruptions in the power plant in the central and west areas of Java.

“PLN has strived to recover the transfer process from east to west. We apologize for the sluggish process, we admit it,” Cahyani said.

FRISKI RIANA