Jakarta, Oct. 14 -- Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia said suspected causes of the blackout in Batam, Riau Islands, included lightning-related disruptions to the power network and an animal that may have interfered with the grid.

Lahadalia said he had received reports of several technical problems affecting electricity network operations in the area.

"There are several technical problems in the Batam area, and some networks had trouble because of lightning, according to them. And there was a technical error, roughly like that," Lahadalia told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex on Wednesday.

He added that an animal was also suspected of contributing to the disruption, possibly a bat...