Soroti Electricity Blackout Observer: Why is the System So Vulnerable?

JAKARTA - The series of power outages that occurred in Sumatra and then followed by supply disruptions and alternating outages in several areas of Java raised the question, "If Indonesian electricity has been called a surplus, why are the outages still happening?"

The question arose after the public witnessed two different events in relatively close time. In Sumatra, power outages are associated with extreme weather, flooding, landslides, and damage to distribution and transmission networks. Meanwhile, in Java, PLN explained that the disruption was triggered by problems with coal supplies and the exit of a number of plants from the system.

The Founding Secretary of Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW), Iskandar Sitorus, assessed that the series of events deserved to be seen more deeply than just a momentary technical issue.

According to him, in the audit approach, attention is not only focused on the immediate cause of an event, but also on the root of the problem that makes the system vulnerable when faced with disruptions.

"In the world of auditing, the question is not just what caused the power outage. More importantly, why is the system so vulnerable when disruptions occur," Iskandar said in a written statement received by the editor, Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

Iskandar likened the condition to a patient who repeatedly gets sick. According to him, doctors not only look for the disease that attacks, but also identify why the patient's immune system is weak.

Iskandar said, based on PLN's financial statements for 2024, the company's total assets have reached more than IDR 1,700 trillion. In recent years, the construction of new power plants, transmission networks, and various strategic electricity projects has also continued. On the other hand, service disruptions still occur.

In the perspective of governance, this condition is often referred to as a performance paradox, namely when various investment and asset indicators continue to increase, but the quality of service does not always increase proportionally.

"The public finally sees the contradiction. Investments increase, assets grow, projects continue, but blackouts still occur," said Iskandar.

Power Surpluses and Questions about System Readiness

Iskandar further revealed that over the past few years, the term electricity surplus has become one of the main narratives in the national electricity sector.

"A number of observers often remind us that excess capacity is not always identical to system resilience. In the practice of electricity, there is a difference between installed capacity, available capacity, and actually ready to use when there is a disruption," said Iskandar.

Therefore, there is a question that is considered reasonable by the public: are all the capacities that have been reported so far really ready to be used when needed?

The question becomes more relevant when disruptions to a number of power plants or problems with the supply of primary energy can still have an impact on services to the public.

BPK Findings Trace

In a number of Audit Reports (LHP), continued Iskandar, the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) repeatedly highlighted issues related to planning electricity needs, power plant projects, transmission development, asset management, electricity subsidies, to internal control.

Various findings do not necessarily indicate criminal violations. However, the emerging pattern is considered to indicate that the governance challenge in the electricity sector is a problem that has been going on for quite some time and requires continued attention.

In addition to technical and governance issues, attention is also directed to electricity purchase contracts from private power plants or Independent Power Producers (IPP).

As the sole national electricity buyer, PLN has various long-term contracts to ensure the availability of electricity supply.

In international practice, a number of such contracts contain obligations to pay a certain capacity to ensure investment certainty for plant developers.

However, a number of observers believe that these contracts need to be evaluated periodically to remain in line with the actual needs of the system and the development of national electricity demand.

"What needs to be ensured is not only whether the contract is legally valid, but also whether it is still relevant to the needs of the community and the current system conditions," said Iskandar.

In the midst of various technical explanations that have been submitted, the public is considered entitled to receive more complete information regarding the condition of the national electricity system.

Starting from the level of power reserves that are truly ready to be used, dependence on certain plants, to risk mitigation strategies when there are disruptions.

"Because in the end, all the costs incurred in the electricity system will have an impact on two things that are closest to the community: electricity tariffs and state finances," said Iskandar.

For most people, said Iskandar, the measure of the success of the electricity system is actually very simple. Not how big the company's assets are. Not how many plants are built. And not how much investment has been spent.

"Therefore, as long as the blackout still occurs in the midst of claims of power surplus and the size of the investment that has been poured, the same question will likely continue to arise from the public: If electricity is indeed surplus, why do the lights often go out?" concluded Iskandar.