Blackout as Bali as Indonesian tourist haven hit by power outage

CNN - May 2nd, 2025
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A major power outage struck multiple regions across Bali, Indonesia’s famous tourist island, on Friday. The state utility company, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), is actively working to restore electricity. This outage also affected the island's airport operations, although flight traffic continued without significant interruptions. PLN is investigating the cause, while images on social media depict traffic jams and long queues at airport check-in counters as immediate consequences of the blackout.

Bali, a key tourist destination that welcomed 6.3 million international visitors last year, faces significant disruption due to the outage. The incident highlights the island's vulnerability to infrastructure issues, which can impact its vital tourism sector. The gradual recovery process is crucial for minimizing economic impacts and maintaining Bali's reputation as a reliable travel destination. This event underscores the need for resilient infrastructure to support Bali's growing tourism industry.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The news story provides a clear and timely account of a power outage affecting Bali, a major tourist destination. It effectively communicates the immediate impact on airport operations and the response by the state utility. The article's strengths lie in its clarity, timeliness, and relevance to public interest. However, it could benefit from greater source diversity, transparency about the investigation and recovery efforts, and inclusion of perspectives from those directly affected. While the article does not delve deeply into controversial aspects, it touches on issues that could prompt broader discussions about infrastructure resilience and crisis management in tourist areas. Overall, the story is informative but could be enhanced with more in-depth analysis and diverse viewpoints.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The news story accurately reports a power outage affecting Bali, Indonesia, and includes details such as the involvement of the state utility, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), and the impact on the island's airport operations. However, the story lacks specific details about the cause of the outage, which is still under investigation, and does not specify the exact areas affected or the duration of the outage. The claim about airport operations continuing despite the outage is supported by the airport operator's statement on Instagram, adding to the story's credibility. The mention of Bali's significance as a tourist destination is factual, supported by the statistic of 6.3 million foreign visitors last year. Overall, while the story is largely accurate, the lack of detailed information on certain aspects such as the cause and full impact of the outage slightly reduces its accuracy score.

6
Balance

The article presents the situation from the perspective of the state utility and the airport operator, but it lacks input from other stakeholders, such as local businesses or tourists affected by the outage. This absence of diverse perspectives limits the story's balance, as it primarily focuses on the official response and operational aspects. Including voices from those directly impacted could provide a more rounded view of the situation, highlighting potential challenges faced by local businesses or the inconvenience experienced by travelers. As it stands, the story offers a somewhat narrow view, emphasizing the utility's and airport's roles in managing the crisis.

8
Clarity

The article is clear and concise, effectively communicating the main points about the power outage and its immediate impact on Bali. The language is straightforward, making the information accessible to a broad audience. The structure is logical, with a clear progression from the occurrence of the outage to the responses by the state utility and airport. The inclusion of specific details, such as the number of foreign visitors to Bali, adds context without overwhelming the reader. Overall, the article maintains a neutral tone and avoids technical jargon, enhancing its clarity and readability.

7
Source quality

The story relies on credible sources such as the state utility PLN and the airport operator, which are authoritative entities directly involved in the situation. The use of an Instagram post from the airport operator as a source for confirming flight operations is appropriate given the context. However, the story would benefit from additional sources, such as local government officials or independent experts, to provide more depth and corroborate the details reported. The reliance on social media for visual evidence of traffic and airport congestion is valid but should be supplemented with more traditional reporting methods for a comprehensive account.

6
Transparency

The article provides basic information about the outage and the responses from the utility and airport, but it lacks transparency in explaining the methodology behind the information gathering. There is no disclosure of potential conflicts of interest, which is not necessarily expected but would enhance transparency if relevant. The article does not delve into the investigative process undertaken by PLN or the specific steps being taken to restore power, leaving readers with unanswered questions about the recovery efforts. Greater transparency in these areas would improve the reader's understanding of the situation and the measures being implemented.

Sources

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_outages
  2. https://www.pacs.ph/author/pacssecretariatgmail-com/
  3. https://www.instagram.com/auforgeorgia/reel/DJA5K27AmRw/