PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Several areas in West Java Province are now starting to enter the rainy season. When the rain comes, leaks, air gathering and even flooding are things that people must anticipate, especially if they are close to various electrical equipment. The conductive nature of air can conduct electricity so it is very vulnerable to causing accidents due to electric shock.

So that the electricity around us is always safe, various electrical equipment such as electrical installations in the house, electronic equipment and PLN's electrical assets need to be paid attention to. An electrical short circuit can occur if the electrical installation cables in the house are peeled (due to heat/age/animal stagnation) and then exposed to air due to a leaky roof. Therefore, make sure that all cables in your electrical installation are not exposed.

When conditions around the house or even inside the house are flooded, electronic equipment will be vulnerable to exposure to air and can result in electrical accidents. To keep electricity safe, here are some actions to take:

1. Pay attention to the position of the socket or roller cable which is below or close to the floor. Secure roller cords or extension cords that could potentially become submerged in air.

2. Turn off electrical and electronic equipment close to the floor (especially water machines/jet pumps) by unplugging the power cord from the socket and moving it to a safer position.

3. Do not handle exposed or frayed cables.

4. If the house is flooded/the socket is flooded, make sure the MCB (Mini Circuit Breaker) on the kWh meter which functions as an electricity breaker has been turned off so that there is no electricity flowing into the house.

Furthermore, floods that have receded do not necessarily guarantee electricity security. People must first ensure that their electrical equipment (contact sockets, water machines, submerged electronic equipment) is dry before turning on the electricity.

Apart from the things above, another thing you need to watch out for when it rains is lightning. Cases of electronic device fires that are struck by lightning are quite common cases. To minimize this danger, turn off electronic items and unplug cables from electrical sockets, such as televisions, radios and computers when lightning strikes. Likewise the use of cell phones because these objects can emit high electromagnetic waves.

Apart from having an impact on electricity security, rain accompanied by lightning or wind can sometimes also affect the process of distributing electricity to the community and even cause blackouts. The occurrence of power outages during rain is caused by several factors, including:

1. Heavy rain and strong winds that cause objects to fall and hit power lines, for example fallen trees.

2. The electricity network is struck by lightning (therefore people are not near the network, for example electricity poles)

3. The area where residents live or the electricity substation area is flooded

The conditions above meant that electricity had to be turned off for the safety of officers and local residents. Because if you don't extinguish it, it could potentially cause an electric shock that endangers the safety of residents.

If the public knows of a dangerous situation or requires assistance from PLN technical services, immediately contact officers via PLN Mobile. This PLN digital service can be accessed anywhere and at any time. (rdp*)