Bali has been plunged into darkness as a total power outage has hit the province. At 4 p.m. on Friday, May 2nd, the vacation hotspot lost all connectivity.
While backup generators have been activated in some areas, and mobile signal remains strong, residents and tourists are being warned that normal service could be some time before it resumes.
The national electric provider PT PLN has confirmed that a gradual recovery process is now underway after the electricity connection to Bali was interrupted.
PLN Manager, Wayan Eka Susana, has told reporters “Currently the recovery is being carried out in stages by officers in the field. We will provide information on developments periodically.”
He confirmed that an investigation as to the cause of the blackout is underway, though initial reports suggest that there is a fault in the Java-Bali transfer cable.
In an update posted on the PLN Distribusi Bali Instagram account at 7.45 pm local time, the energy provider shared “Developments until now at 19.50 WITQ the electricity supply has been restored to 50 percent. Continue to monitor the latest information on the official PLN UID Bali account thank you for your support, prayers, and patience.”
As the island went into blackout initial confusion made may for chaos on Bali’s busiest highways just as Friday night rush hour kicked off.
With a power cut, traffic light systems went down followed by widespread reports of gridlock congestion and a series of collisions.
As power starts to be restored across the island, Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has confirmed that flights are still operating on schedule, though disruptions could be on the cards if the issue is not resolved soon.
In a written statement, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport shared, “Please be informed that the disruption to the Java-Bali undersea power cable has affected the electricity supply in Bali, including I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, on Friday, May, 2/5/2025.”
The statement continues “Currently all departures and arrivals processes continue to operate. We remain committed to providing the best possible service during this situation and continue to coordinate with the relevant authorities to closely monitor further developments.”
Government officials in Bali have not yet issued statements regarding the blackout, though tourists in Bali should be mindful that as power is slowly recovered across the island the province’s most densely populated areas are still in darkness. At the time of publishing Denpasar, South Kuta (including Nusa Dua) as well as much of Gianyar Regency, home to tourism resorts like Ubud, are still without power.
Tourists who must drive are urged to be extra cautious as traffic lights are not working and street lights are also down. Tourists are encouraged to to conserve phone battery, stay calm and not to travel unless absolutely necessary. With temperatures hot this evening, tourists are also advised to stay hydrated.
Emergency services in Bali are still operating, and tourists should contact their accommodation provider for support.
Updates are regularly posted by PLN Distribusi Bali on Instagram. The emergency service phone number for Indonesia is 112.
Bali Police can be contacted on 110, or the tourist police can be contacted directly on (0361 115 4). Ambulance services can be contacted on 118.
This is a breaking news story; updates to follow.
Discover more from The Bali Sun
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.