Berlin Power Outage Leaves Thousands Without Electricity Amid Suspected Arson

A significant power outage in southwest Berlin has left approximately 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses without electricity following a fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde power plant. The incident occurred early Saturday morning, leading to disruptions in heating and internet services across the affected districts.

Berlin's Senator for Economic Affairs, Franziska Giffey, described the situation as "a particularly severe power outage affecting tens of thousands of households and businesses, including care facilities, hospitals, numerous social institutions and companies." While power has been restored to some areas, authorities estimate that full restoration may not be achieved until Thursday, January 8.

The fire is being investigated as a possible act of arson, with authorities drawing parallels to a similar incident in September when radical activists claimed responsibility for a power outage in southeast Berlin. A group known as Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the latest attack, stating their aim was to target the fossil fuel industry.

Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the attack, stating, "It is unacceptable that once again clearly left-wing ... ." The ongoing snowy weather and freezing temperatures have further complicated restoration efforts, posing additional challenges for residents and repair teams.