Tuesday, 26 May 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Power outages are never just a matter of darkness. The large-scale blackout that paralyzed several regions of Sumatra became a shattered mirror of national energy governance, which appears stable on the surface but conceals deep structural weaknesses. Cities lost their rhythm, hospitals switched to emergency operations, communication networks collapsed, industrial activities came to a halt, businesses calculated their losses, and the public was forced into uncertainty. Public space suddenly filled with collective unease and an urgent question: how prepared is the state to secure its citizens' most essential services?
Sumatra fell into an unsettling silence. ATMs stopped working, traffic lights failed causing chaotic traffic conditions. Factories halted production due to lack of electricity supply. Airports experienced operational disruptions. Small shops lost customers as electronic devices failed. Mobile networks weakened, and digital activities stalled. The modern world, which is based on electricity, revealed its vulnerability within minutes.A Fragile Energy System Revealed
Read Also:The cause of such an event cannot simply be dismissed as a "technical disturbance." Such phrasing is an administrative cliché that tends to reduce public concern rather than explain it. Regional power systems should be equipped with multi-layer protection mechanisms, sufficient reserve capacity, and responsive control systems. When a single fault triggers widespread outages, the issue runs deeper: it reflects structural instability within critical infrastructure.
Energy expert Tumiran (2022) from the Bandung Institute of Technology emphasized that the resilience of a power system depends not only on generation capacity, but also on the grid's ability to withstand disturbances without cascading failures.
Socioeconomic and Economic Disruptions Across SocietyThe impact was felt most strongly by ordinary people. Ice vendors lost their stock, fishermen could not preserve their catch, small business owners suffered hourly losses, students were unable to attend online classes, and factory workers were sent home abruptly.
Read Also:Meanwhile, hotels, government buildings, and wealthier households remained lit thanks to generators. The blackout thus exposed social inequality: energy security has become a matter of class.
Political scientist Eko Prasojo (2021) noted that essential services such as electricity must be treated as strategic public goods, as their failure can erode trust in the state.
Official statements regarding a "gradual restoration" were widely perceived as bureaucratic routine rather than genuine transparency.Lessons for National Energy Resilience
Read Also:A prolonged outage could have completely paralyzed hospitals, water supply systems, and fuel distribution. Modern society is highly dependent on stable energy supply.
The blackout is a warning signal: national energy security should not only be measured by installed capacity, but also by resilience against extreme scenarios.
Energy expert Komaidi Notonegoro (2023) highlighted that investment in system reliability still lags behind expansion efforts. At the same time, crisis communication remains slow and insufficient, deepening public uncertainty.Security researcher Bruce Schneier (2021) has warned that energy infrastructure is among the most sensitive targets in modern society because small disruptions can trigger large cascading effects.
Read Also:The Sumatra blackout clearly shows that advanced infrastructure without a strong energy backbone remains fragile. Economic growth, digital transformation, and industrialization depend entirely on grid stability.
The state must treat power outages as strategic crises, not routine incidents. Comprehensive audits, increased transparency, stronger grid resilience, and improved cybersecurity are urgently needed.
Ultimately, it is not only about electricity, but also about trust. When energy fails, society loses its sense of security. The central question remains: how prepared is a country for the next, possibly larger, crisis? (IDNC)By Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.Hum
Read Also:Author is a Founder of Ethics of Care, member of the Judicial Commission 2015–2020, and lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU)
