Prolonged rolling blackouts squeeze small businesses in Kalimantan - Archipelago - The Jakarta Post

Indonesia

Archipelago

Widespread power disruptions have hit multiple regions across Indonesia in recent months, affecting parts of Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan and raising concerns over the reliability of the country's electricity grid.

City in the dark: A vendor prepares drinks for customers on Saturday, May 23, 2026, during a power outage in Nagari Kasang, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra. Rolling blackouts continued to affect several areas in West Sumatra, with scheduled outages taking place in different regions. (Antara/Fitra Yogi)

Weeks of rolling blackouts across parts of Kalimantan have dealt a heavy blow to small businesses, as a series of power outages across the country raises fresh questions about state utility PLN's reliability.Among those affected is Lilis, a beverage vendor in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan who says the frequent outages have severely disrupted her business. Her drink stall relies heavily on electricity to operate a cup-sealing machine used to package beverages in plastic cups.