Jakarta Goes Dark: A City of Over 100 Million People Turns Out The Lights
What Happened?
Yesterday, Jakarta and some surrounding provinces on Java island experienced a massive power outage, courtesy of problems at Java’s power stations. The state electricity company PLN confirmed that the blackout rippled across areas that together host more than 100 million people.
Transit Chaos
- Rapid transit trains plunked to a halt just before noon, forcing the Jakarta MRT to evacuate hundreds of stranded passengers.
- Commuters found themselves in cars that felt more like “floating” as their trains stopped abruptly.
- One commuter, Ella Wasila, said the coach was a stage for crying babies and frantic pleas for “open the door…” as the trains sputtered.
Hospitals, Airports & Offices Keep Shining
Despite the gloom, Jakarta’s international airport stuck to its usual rhythm, thanks to backup generators keeping flights on schedule.
Governor Anies Baswedan tweeted that all public hospitals were buzzing with generators too, so health services continued without a hitch.
Traffic Lights Get the Dark Treatment
Traffic lights in several neighbourhoods went dark, creating a traffic jam that sent police officers to the scene to keep order. The gridlock felt like a city blinking in and out of life.
Why, PLN, Why?
According to PLN, the outage stemmed from a failure in an unspecified transmission system that broke the power flow from east to west. A spokesperson, texted us, said: “We are still working on it. Please pray it can return to normal soon.”
Key Takeaways
- Jakarta, the heart of Indonesia’s politics and business, is pouring over 10 million residents, and surrounded towns triple that number.
- Blackouts happen, but this one’s scale is “mega” – affecting not just Jakarta but also Banten, West Java, and Central Java provinces.
- Despite the overload, critical services (airport, hospitals) prided themselves on resilience via generators.
As the city drifts in and out of light, residents are hoping for a swift return of electricity, while commuters that day will probably see the blackout as one of those “you’re not ready for this” life lessons.
