Bali Blackout: Island Still Grappling with Power Disruptions
Denpasar. Rolling blackouts continued across several parts of Bali as of Monday evening, following a major island-wide power outage last Friday that left much of the island in the dark for up to 12 hours. Residents and business owners in areas such as Kerobokan, Canggu, Jimbaran, Gianyar, and Denpasar have voiced growing frustration over unannounced and erratic power cuts.
While the state utility company PLN has issued blackout schedules, locals say the outages do not match the official timetable. In many cases, electricity cuts occurred earlier than expected or lasted longer than promised. “The power went out at 1:00 p.m. and hasn’t come back. The schedule didn’t mention this,” said a Kerobokan resident.
In Jimbaran, residents experienced power cuts as early as 8:00 a.m., with brief restoration during midday before going out again until nightfall. The outages have also disrupted internet services and shut down clean water supply systems (PAM), making daily life more difficult. “This really affects our daily activities,” said Reza, a resident of Dalung.
Business operators are also affected by the power outage. A tattoo studio owner in Pecatu said all appointments had to be canceled after the power died mid-session. Spa operators and other small businesses in Jimbaran and Kerobokan reported similar losses due to booking cancellations.
Many residents have expressed confusion over the information provided by PLN. Flyers detailing the outage schedule are reportedly unclear and inconsistent with what is happening. “The electricity goes out even before the schedule says it should. No one knows what to expect,” a Canggu resident said.
Friday’s massive blackout began around 3:00 p.m. local time and was caused by a failure in the undersea power cable connecting Java and Bali, according to PLN. The failure led to a shutdown of all power plants on the island. PLN said recovery and stabilization efforts are ongoing, but power supply remains patchy in some areas due to equipment damage.
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