Batam (ANTARA) – The National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency is investigating possible negligence or sabotage in a power outage that caused widespread blackouts in Batam and Bintan, Riau Islands, on October 12, 2026.
The investigation includes examining why CCTV cameras failed to capture Transformer 1 at the Sei Harapan Substation, as well as determining the cause of the outage and how it affected the wider power system.
The head of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, Inspector General Asep Safrudin, said on Tuesday that the investigation aimed to establish the cause of the outage and hold those responsible accountable.
“We are investigating the cause of the power outage. Electricity is crucial for Batam and Bintan,” he said.
Initial findings indicated that the disruption began with a short circuit involving a conductor, alongside the presence of wild animals in the substation area.
However, investigators are still examining whether the incident resulted from possible negligence or deliberate action.
The agency’s Director of Specific Crimes, Brigadier General Moh. Irhamni, said five people had been named as suspects, while allegations of sabotage and negligence remained under investigation.
Irhamni said investigators were also examining why the CCTV camera had been repositioned, including the possibility that it had been moved deliberately.
“Those are the facts established on the ground, and the cause is still under investigation. If the camera was deliberately repositioned to cause a blackout, the person responsible will face criminal charges. We are investigating the matter,” he said.
Beyond examining CCTV footage, the police are also investigating the factors that allowed a short circuit at a single point to trigger widespread power outages across Batam and Bintan.
According to Irhamni, the electrical system is equipped with circuit breakers designed to cut off the power supply when a disturbance occurs.
“Why did this short circuit affect all of Batam? The circuit breaker should have prevented that. We are also investigating this,” he said.
The Criminal Investigation Agency said the investigation was ongoing to establish the full sequence of events and determine whether negligence or deliberate actions contributed to the outage and could result in criminal liability.
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Translator: Amandine Nadja, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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