inp.polri.go.id - Batam. The blackout that struck Batam and Bintan Islands, Riau Islands, on October 12, 2026, has entered a new phase. The Indonesian National Police (INP) Criminal Investigation Agency has named five suspects after investigators found alleged negligence in securing the substation and a suboptimal electrical protection system.
The five suspects comprise four individuals from PLN Batam with the initials RB, ZR, DA, and AWD, and a contractor with the initials AEP.
The Director of Specific Crimes, Brigadier General Moh. IIrhamnidi, stated that investigators suspect the four suspects from PLN failed to properly secure the substation area. This allowed wild animals to enter the area, which houses high-voltage equipment.
"The four suspects from PLN are suspected of failing to fulfill their duties to ensure the security of the substation area, allowing wild animals to enter the location containing high-voltage equipment," he said in Batam on Tuesday (10/20/2026).
Meanwhile, the suspect, a contractor, is suspected of being responsible for securing the substation fence, which should have been electrified to prevent wildlife from entering.
"At the time of the incident, the fence, which should have been electrified, was off. Therefore, it was possible for the animals to jump over it and enter the substation area," he said.
Based on the investigation, the electrical disturbance began when a monkey entered the area of Transformer 1 at the Sei Harapan Substation. The animal's presence is suspected to have triggered a short circuit involving the 150 kilovolt (kV) and 20 kV lines.
Head of the Fire Accident Sub-Directorate of the INP's Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor), Police Assistant Superintendent Henry Siahaan, explained that the team conducted a crime scene investigation and examined evidence from October 13–21, 2026.
Some of the evidence examined included busbar plates, conductor pieces, tripping lockout devices, and Buchholz pipes. The examination results showed damage and burn marks on the top of Transformer 1. The forensic laboratory team also found a match between hair samples found in the Buchholz pipe and hair samples from a dead monkey found at the scene.
"A dead monkey was found and is suspected of causing a short circuit in Transformer 1 of the Sei Harapan Substation. During the examination of the Buchholz pipe, hair samples were found, and a match was found between the samples and the monkey hair," he said.
In addition to the monkey, investigators discovered that the tripping lockout device, which helps secure the system during a disruption, was not functioning optimally.
This combination of disturbances is suspected to have caused the power outage to continue until the generator was disconnected from the system. As a result, the blackout spread to Batam and Bintan.
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