I was sitting in front of my computer last night thinking what topic I would post on my blog...when suddenly the power went out. Puff! Just like that. Looking out of the window, I can see the streetlights off, it was dark outside. I really don't know what's wrong with the power lines these days but I have had 3 power outages this week, and they usually last from 3 to 4 hours. I called PLN (State Electricity Company) customer service and all they say is they are working on fixing the problem. Luckily I have a good supply of candles, batteries for the flash light and an emergency lamp. Because you never know when there is going to be a power cut. Power outages are common in Indonesia, particularly when it rains hard and there are broken cables or debris falling onto the power lines. Another reason is because people regularly steal electricity from the grid. But most of the time the reason are not obvious and are almost always un-announced. Without electricity, life gets put on hold. You do what you can do in daylight but after the sun goes down, your options go with it. Here in Jakarta it can be pretty hot and humid even in the evening inside the house. It was too hot to sleep and it is impossible to open the window without inviting mosquitoes in. I tried to read using the candle light but it was hard on my eyes. I was so bored that I started to pour the wax from one candle to another. Finally after three hours, the power came back on.
I think everyone of us has the same experience of spending a day or a night without electricity. But it is even harder to bear without electricity in the night. Seriously, I don’t think we can live without electricity as they are an important element on our daily life. Or have we become spoiled by our dependence on it?!?
5 comments:
Nope, I don't think we can live without electricity either. We have too much things in our life that is powered with electricity.
I don't know why PLN is always having the same old story with the power outage. There are tons of power stations here in Indonesia, water, steam, nuclear (??) you name it, but apparently it's not enough. Is it us who consume electricity in such excessive rate or that the government is simply incapable of providing a good service for the citizens?
Here, we never have power outages and electricity is privatized here. You can chose your electricity provider like you chose your mobile phone's. Funny that you mentioned about this because just last night there was a talk show in the local TV about which electricity is company is better in terms of their service fee. (since electricity is horrendously expensive here).
Indonesia should start privatizing government-owned companies to increase services and competition. Even Pertamina has changed a lot since private petrol companies started to appear all over Jakarta.
I can't imagine living without electricity NOW, but perhaps 100 years ago where there is no internet, refrigerator or radio, I can :P
I second to above comments. Black out especially during the night is horrible because virtually we can't do anything. Call their hot line 123 and I guarantee the respond (if you lucky enough to talk with the operator because many times the line is always busy) will be : "Sorry, we'll working on it, but don't know when it will be fixed". Pathetic isn't it ?
waduh..di bangka lebih parah lage kali mba... dimana2 yak mati listrik... bentar2 loh... parah kan?
oh..no electricity = no light = no computer = no AC = no hot shower = no TV (yes, while most of u loathe it, i love it .. ) oh no no..
the problem is that we do not work hard enough to develop renewable energy despite the fact that we have abundant natural resources. we have lots of sunshine, the source for solar energy, lots of wind, lots of plants that can produce vegetable oil etc.
if it is properly developed, i am sure that none of us would live in the dark.
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