Denpasar, Bali. A major power outage swept across the island of Bali on Friday afternoon, disrupting tourism, commerce, and public services. The blackout began around 3:00 p.m. local time and lasted for approximately two hours, with lingering effects still felt in several areas.

According to state utility company PLN Bali, the outage was triggered by a failure in the undersea power cable that connects Java and Bali. The disruption caused all power plants on the island to shut down simultaneously, resulting in a sudden and widespread blackout. PLN said the system is still undergoing stabilization and recovery, while some areas continue to report partial outages and equipment damage.

Southern Bali, particularly the tourism hub of Nusa Dua, was among the hardest hit. Restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers were affected, leaving tourists and staff in difficult situations. Wayan Dedi Muliarta, who works at a beachfront restaurant in Peninsula Nusa Dua, said operations halted completely due to the outage.

"We lost power from 3 p.m. until around 4:30. Everything we use runs on electricity, from cooking equipment to point-of-sale systems, so it really disrupted our service," he explained. He also noted that some appliances were damaged when the power returned.

Traffic became chaotic in several areas, including Pecatu, where the lack of working traffic lights caused gridlock. Many digital payment systems also went offline, leaving tourists unable to pay with credit cards or mobile wallets.

Residents and visitors alike expressed frustration, as the blackout made routine activities nearly impossible. “Internet was down, card machines weren’t working, and the roads were jammed,” said Reza, a local resident.

The blackout affected various aspects of Bali’s tourism infrastructure. Hotel guests were left without lighting, air conditioning, or working elevators. Tourists struggled to book transport via ride-hailing apps like Grab and Gojek due to the loss of mobile connectivity. 

Cultural shows and nighttime attractions were postponed or canceled, leaving visitors disappointed and confused.

While most power has been restored, full recovery is still underway. PLN officials have yet to confirm when the Java-Bali cable issue will be permanently resolved. 

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