PLN Collaborates With Police To Secure 30 Hot Air Balloons In Trenggalek

SURABAYA - PLN Central Java and Bali Transmission Main Unit (UIT JBM) through the Madiun Transmission Implementing Unit (UPT) in collaboration with local police officers to secure 30 hot air balloons stuck in the electricity infrastructure in Trenggalek Regency.

The manager of PLN UPT Madiun, Nur Fajar FU, said that dozens of hot air balloons were secured after the celebration of Eid al-Fitr 2022.

"It is a tradition in several areas of East Java that during Eid al-Fitr celebrations always fly hot air balloons, even though it endangers the electricity supply," he said as quoted by Antara, Friday, May 13.

Fajar said that apart from securing dozens of hot air balloons, he also educated the public about the dangers posed when the hot air balloons were flown at risk of snagging on electrical infrastructure, and causing disruption to the transmission network.

"We fielded 40 personnel spread over Tulungagung, Trenggalek and Ponorogo, plus the police in the process of securing the hundreds of hot air balloons," he said.

Meanwhile, Tulungagung Police Chief, AKBP Handono Subiakto appreciated PLN for inviting the police to cooperate in educating the public regarding hot air balloons.

"We hope that with this patrol, electrical disturbances due to hot air balloon flights will not occur again in the following year," he said.

Handono also asked his members to continue to help PLN by patrolling and reminding the public not to fly hot air balloons and play kites around the power grid.

"We hope that with the patrol, we can teach people who are still flying hot air balloons. In the future we will continue to help PLN monitor both kites and hot air balloons that have the potential to cause electrical disturbances," he said.