PLN restores 11 Flores substations as post‑quake power recovery continues

Labuan Bajo — State utility PT PLN (Persero) says the main electricity supply system on Flores has been restored to normal operating conditions after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake on 15 August 2026, with all 11 damaged high‑voltage substations back at full capacity and generation comfortably exceeding current demand, according to company statements cited by national media.

PLN President Director Darmawan Prasodjo said engineers brought the 11 affected substations, or gardu induk, back online within roughly 12 hours of the quake, allowing the primary transmission network to resume normal function across the island.

According to an operational update reported by InvestorTrust and other outlets, the Flores power system had about 111 megawatts of available capacity against an active load of roughly 95 megawatts, more than the estimated 105 megawatts under typical conditions.

Engineers have since shifted their focus from restoring the main grid to repairing damaged distribution infrastructure and reconnecting individual communities.

Local distribution repairs continue

PLN’s East Nusa Tenggara unit said recovery efforts entered the distribution phase after the high‑voltage substations and major power plants were stabilised.

In a post‑quake briefing carried by Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), Darmawan said 59 feeder lines had been affected, with 58 operational and power restored to around 88 percent of customers by 16 August, while crews continued working on the remaining feeder and local faults.

Other coverage of PLN’s update noted that some villages remained without electricity because damaged lines and fallen or broken poles were still being repaired, and that full restoration depended on conditions in areas experiencing aftershocks and landslides.

PLN identified parts of Nagekeo and surrounding districts among the locations with heavier impact on power infrastructure, and said personnel, equipment and materials were being concentrated there, with support available from other regions as needed.

The utility said it was coordinating restoration with local governments and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), alongside the Indonesian Military and National Police, to align electricity recovery with broader emergency operations.

Priority for essential services

Darmawan said the company was prioritising power supply for hospitals, airports, government offices, evacuation centres and other public‑service facilities while repairs continued on residential and commercial lines.

He added that with the primary generation and high‑voltage transmission system back to normal, the remaining challenge was reaching customers at the end of damaged distribution networks rather than a shortage of capacity.

PLN did not release a detailed, location‑by‑location account of outages or a timetable for full restoration for each community in its public statements.

Context

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in the Flores region of East Nusa Tenggara at around 05:58 local time on Saturday, 15 August 2026.

The epicentre was located offshore northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency at a depth of about 10 kilometres, triggering damage and power cuts across several districts.

Government agencies and media reports indicate that Nagekeo, Ngada, Manggarai, East Manggarai and parts of Sikka were among the areas reporting power outages, structural damage and evacuations, with emergency and restoration work continuing through mid‑August.

Sources

• InvestorTrust.id – "Death Toll Hits 53 in Powerful Magnitude 7.7 Flores Earthquake as Government Ramps Up Emergency Relief"
• RRI (Voice of Indonesia) – "PLN Accelerates Power Restoration After Earthquake in NTT"
• Gokepri – "PLN Pulihkan Listrik Flores, 29 Desa Masih Terisolasi"
• Tempo.co (English) – "BMKG Records 4,258 Aftershocks in NTT Following M7.7 Earthquake"
• BMKG – "Gempa Flores M7,7 Jadi Momentum Penguatan Mitigasi Bencana Berbasis Sains dan Teknologi"
• The Watchers – "Major M7.7 earthquake hits Flores region, Indonesia, leaving at least ..."