JAKARTA - President Director of PT PLN (Persero) Darmawan Prasodjo revealed the difference in handling the electricity system during the Aceh tsunami disaster and the flash flood that occurred at the end of 2025.
Darmo, Darmawan's nickname, said that in the tsunami disaster, the points that experienced damage to the electrical system were only 8 points and were successfully handled by PLN in a short time.
"This time, when there is flash flooding due to heavy rain and landslides, the damage in Aceh alone is 442 points. That's just in Aceh, not to mention West Sumatra, and North Sumatra," said Darmawan in a Hearing (RDP) with Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Wednesday, January 21.
On the same occasion, Darmawan also admitted that his party had never experienced a disaster of such a large scale as flash floods and landslides that paralyzed most of Aceh's territory.
"We admit that we have never experienced a disaster of this scale (flash flood). During the tsunami, (handling) went quickly and passed quickly," he said.
Unlike today, continued Darmo, PLN had to swallow a bitter pill because the electrical system damage occurred almost in every location where the system suffered severe damage due to being buried in mud and required extraordinary efforts to repair it.
Until January 18, a total of 6,432 villages or about 98.9 percent of villages in Aceh had returned to enjoying electricity.
However, PLN noted that there were still 68 villages or about 1.04 percent that had not been electrified. The villages are spread across eight regencies, including North Aceh Regency, West Aceh, Bireuen, Gayo Lues, Aceh Tamiang, East Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Central Aceh. PLN ensures that the recovery process in these areas continues until all villages are back on normal electricity.
"The villages that are still out are in the area with the most severe geographical challenges. Access roads in a number of locations are cut off, severely damaged, or even lost due to floods and landslides, so the recovery process takes time and extra effort. However, we are not waiting. We continue to guerrilla and reconnect electricity to the deepest point of Aceh," said Darmawan in an official statement, Sunday, January 18.
In addition, while efforts to repair the electricity network continue, the 68 villages will continue to receive electricity supply through the support of the 1,000 Genset Program from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). Although the distribution network has not recovered completely due to access constraints, the presence of emergency generators in the villages is a solution so that community activities do not stop.
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