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Worldcue® Alert
Severity: Informational Alert

Communications/Technology: Electricity supply severed to parts of Aceh since June 18; prolonged power disruptions possible through mid-July.

This alert affects Indonesia.

This alert began 21 Jun 2006 03:02 GMT and is scheduled to expire 15 Jul 2006 23:59 GMT.
A prolonged power outage has been affecting six regencies in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam since late June 18. The East Aceh, North Aceh, Bireuen, Pidie, and Aceh Besar regencies have experienced a total blackout, while parts of Central Aceh and the capital of Banda Aceh are also lacking electricity. Major towns in the blackout area include Lhokseumawe, Bireuen, and Sigli.

The outage resulted from the felling of three metal electricity towers, severing the region's primary power connection to neighboring North Sumatra Province. The vandalism occurred in a sparsely area in the Sungai Raya subdistrict in East Aceh. Power outages caused by saboteurs were relatively common during the 30-year Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (Free Aceh Movement, GAM) rebellion, but authorities have not identified any suspects. GAM officials have denied involvement and former rebels are reportedly helping police locate the perpetrators.

According to officials from the state-run PT PLN utility company, repairs could take longer than three weeks. Some businesses may use generators in larger towns, but expect no electrical service in rural areas in the affected regencies. Natural gas production disruptions are unlikely, but the outage will probably inconvenience many workers in North Aceh.