Jakarta blackouts expose grid risks for Indonesia digital nomad visa holders

Jakarta outages expose grid strain

Jakarta saw two major blackouts in April, including outages on April 9 and April 21, after failures at multiple main substations disrupted power in parts of the capital, state utility PLN said. The outages hit a city that still markets itself to remote workers, even as grid reliability remains uneven.

Indonesia’s digital-nomad visa has been in place since April 1, 2024 and the country still draws remote workers with 5G in parts of Bali and Java plus fast fiber in coworking hubs. But recent outages showed how quickly those setup advantages can disappear when the power goes out. For more on policy shifts, see our visa updates.

Who feels the impact

Digital nomads, expats and remote workers are the main groups affected because they depend on steady electricity for calls, uploads and client work. Indonesia also faces wider access gaps, with about 30 million people still lacking reliable electricity for basic needs, according to the research cited.

Government offices are feeling the strain too. Civil servants at central and regional levels began working from home every Friday on March 31, 2026, as part of an energy-saving policy, but that measure doesn’t fix outages for private workers.

What remote workers can do

Nomads in Jakarta should plan for interruptions with surge protection, high-capacity power banks and, if possible, a UPS or portable generator. A mobile hotspot can give a second internet option when fixed broadband drops.

Those relying on the city for work should treat backup power as part of their setup, not an extra. Read our full Indonesia guide for the complete picture.