PLN Restores All Aceh Substations as Post-Flood Power Recovery Nears Completion

Banda Aceh: State electricity firm PLN has confirmed that all power substations in Aceh have been fully re-energized following disruptions caused by flash floods and landslides that struck the province in late November 2025.

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said the recovery marks a major milestone in restoring Aceh’s electricity system.

“For Aceh, we emphasize that all substations are now energized. Both transmission and generation systems are operating normally,” Darmawan said during a visit to the PLN Kuala Simpang ULP Office in Aceh Tamiang District on Wednesday.

He said two key transmission lines that were previously cut by the disaster—the Arun–Bireuen line and the Pangkalan Brandan–Langsa line—have been successfully reconnected. PLN has also completed the construction of a second transmission line to reinforce the regional power network.

“Last night we completed the second transmission line, which significantly strengthened the reliability of Aceh’s electricity system,” he said, as quoted from Antara, 2 January 2026.

Since the disaster, PLN has restored power gradually from village to village. Out of approximately 6,500 villages in Aceh, around 180 remain without electricity due to damaged networks and limited access.

“Access roads to these villages are being opened, power poles are being reinstalled, and networks are being rebuilt. The number of villages without electricity continues to decrease day by day,” Darmawan said.

Beyond infrastructure recovery, PLN personnel have also been involved in humanitarian efforts in affected areas. Darmawan said employees volunteered to repair electrical installations and assist with cleanup at public facilities.

“We have restored electrical systems at 15 mosques and helped clean them so they can be used again by local communities,” he said.

Darmawan also expressed appreciation for President Prabowo Subianto’s direction, noting that the president instructed PLN to deploy teams directly to disaster-hit areas to accelerate recovery efforts.

Earlier, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the government had distributed 1,000 generators and 3,000 cooking stoves to assist disaster victims across Sumatra. The equipment was transported using Hercules aircraft.

According to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of December 21, 2025, floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra had killed 1,090 people, left 186 missing, and affected millions of residents in 52 districts and cities.