Claims in the Construction Contract of the 150 KV Sumatera–Bangka Submarine Cable During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The construction of the 150 kV Sumatra–Bangka interconnection utilizes a submarine cable as the primary transmission route to transfer power from Sumatra to Bangka, which operates as an isolated system. This initiative entails building a 150 kV transmission network originating from the Sumatra area, commencing at the Tanjung Api-Api Substation (GI Tj. Api-Api) to the Tanjung Carat arrival site. From the Tanjung Carat landing site, the network connects to the 150 kV Sumatra-Bangka underwater cable, and from the Muntok landing site to the Muntok Substation (GI Muntok). The implementation of the 150 kV submarine cable construction contract took place during the Covid-19 pandemic. This situation posed significant challenges for the contractor in executing the work, leading to the submission of claims for the encountered difficulties. This study examines the challenges faced by the contractor, the claims submitted, and the contractual basis outlined in the agreement. The findings of this study indicate that the contractor's claims are justified, as the challenges arose due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the contract includes clauses that support the claims.