MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – The Legal Aid Institute of Medan (PBH Medan) has urged Indonesia's state electricity company, PT PLN (Persero), to provide compensation to customers affected by the massive power outage that hit the North Sumatra (Sumbagut) region. The blackout, which lasted more than 24 hours on May 22, 2026, reportedly caused significant economic and social disruption across multiple provinces.
The outage affected several regions, including Jambi, West Sumatra, Riau, North Sumatra, and Aceh. The disruption began on Friday evening at around 6:44 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), triggered by a failure in the 275 kV Muara Bungo–Sungai Rumbai high-voltage transmission line in Jambi. Initial reports cited extreme weather conditions as the cause of the incident.
PLN Apologizes, Weather Explanation Questioned
Read Also: Military Appeals Verdict in Medan Draws Sharp Criticism Over Justice Concerns PBH Medan Executive Director Irvan Saputra, S.H., M.H., noted that PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo had issued a public apology. However, the explanation citing extreme weather conditions has been questioned by the organization.
"The explanation raises serious concerns, as weather data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Jambi on May 22, 2026, showed only cloudy conditions with light rain," Irvan said in an official statement on Sunday (May 24, 2026).
DEMAND FOR COMPENSATION: PBH Medan Executive Director Irvan Saputra urges PLN to compensate customers affected by the Sumbagut blackout. (PHOTO: Doc.
LBH Medan)
Read Also: Eight Medan Court Judges Sanctioned, LBH Medan Warns of Judicial Integrity Crisis Allegations of Systemic Negligence in Grid ManagementPBH Medan suggested that the blackout may not have been caused solely by weather factors, but also by potential weaknesses in PLN's infrastructure maintenance and grid management systems.
Irvan emphasized that electricity is an essential public utility that supports nearly all aspects of daily life, including households, education, healthcare, economic activities, and religious practices.
Legal Basis for Compensation Claims
Read Also: Constitutional Court Nears Final Phase in Military Court Law Challenge PBH Medan has formally called on PLN to compensate affected customers, citing existing legal frameworks.
"PLN is legally obliged to provide compensation or damages under Article 4 of Law No. 8/1999 on Consumer Protection, which guarantees consumers' rights to comfort, safety, and security in service usage," Irvan explained.
He also referenced Law No. 30/2009 on Electricity, which ensures reliable and continuous power supply, as well as Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Regulation No. 18/2019, which outlines compensation mechanisms for service disruptions.
ACTIVITIES IN THE DARK: Economic and social activities across parts of Sumatra came to a standstill due to the prolonged power outage. (PHOTO: Doc. LBH Medan)
Read Also: LBH Medan Questions Police Case Closure in Monica Domestic Violence Case According to PBH Medan, approximately 8.3 million of PLN's 13.1 million customers across Sumatra were impacted by the outage.
Irvan added that the blackout caused widespread disruption to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), potential damage to electronic devices, and halted productive economic activity.
"PLN expects customers to pay bills on time and imposes penalties or even disconnection for delays. Meanwhile, complaints about service quality are often not addressed promptly," he said.
Read Also: LBH Medan Slams North Sumatra Prosecutors Over Embezzlement Case Handling PBH Medan concluded that the incident may constitute violations of the Indonesian Constitution, human rights regulations, consumer protection laws, electricity regulations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Darmailawati | EDITOR: Fik Sagala