Massive Blackouts Strike Bali, Leaving Locals and Tourists in the Dark

Bali, Indonesia — May 2, 2025 — The popular tourist destination of Bali has been plunged into a widespread blackout, affecting thousands of residents and visitors, as power outages spread across the island on Friday afternoon. Local officials have warned that restoring electricity may take up to 36 hours.

The blackout began around 4 PM local time, disrupting homes, businesses, and resorts in the area. According to PT. PLN, the state-owned utility company responsible for the island’s electricity supply, the cause of the outages is currently being investigated. Initial reports suggest that disturbances in the submarine cables connecting Denpasar, Bali’s capital, to the electricity grid on the Indonesian mainland could be to blame. These subsea cables provide approximately 25% of the island’s total power.

Impact on Local Residents and Businesses

As the outage continued, the effects intensified. Local sources reported that various venues and resorts were left in darkness, while some establishments managed to run on backup generators. However, the duration of these generators’ fuel supplies is uncertain, leading to fears of extended service interruptions.

One resident, Putri, expressed her frustration, stating, “This is the first time I’ve ever known the entire island to face a blackout. Bali is hot right now, and nobody can turn on their air conditioning.” She noted that many businesses had to close, while some beach resorts in Kuta, typically charging for entry, were now allowing tourists free access in a bid to remain operational during the power outage.

Traffic issues emerged as local police were dispatched to manage congestion at busy intersections, following significant buildups of vehicles due to malfunctioning traffic lights. The blackout left many people scrambling for information, with social media alight with queries about the situation and concerns about how long the power would be out.

Restoration Efforts Underway

PLN is currently focusing on system recovery before allowing the re-connection of all power plants across the island, which were disconnected as a precaution. In a statement to local media, PLN confirmed the disruption of its submarine cables but has yet to provide a precise timeline for the restoration of services.

As darkness fell, various social media users began to analyze the situation, estimating that recovery could span between 12 to 36 hours based on historical data related to similar outages. One user noted, “System stabilization usually requires 4 to 8 hours to complete, while the reactivation of critical infrastructure could take another 6 to 10 hours.”

No Major Disruption at Denpasar Airport

Despite the widespread outages across the island, Denpasar Airport has reported that it maintained power throughout the incident, with no notifications of flight delays or cancellations at this time. This has provided some reassurance to travelers arriving in Bali for the weekend.

Historical Context

The last significant blackout affecting both Bali and the mainland occurred in 2005, when a systems failure left over 100 million people without power. That incident, attributed to miscommunications between power plants, resulted in extensive outages across several major areas, including Jakarta.

As the situation continues to develop, both locals and tourists remain hopeful that electricity will be restored promptly, allowing normal life and activities to resume in the beloved tourist destination of Bali.

For continued updates on this situation, please stay tuned to local news channels and authorities.