Overview
- A fire on a cable bridge near the Lichterfelde plant damaged high‑voltage lines, initially cutting electricity to about 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses in Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee and Lichterfelde.
- By Monday, power had been restored in parts of the network but roughly 30,000 to 35,000 households remained offline, with Stromnetz Berlin targeting full restoration by Thursday, Jan. 8, as freezing conditions slow repairs.
- Berlin's interior affairs minister Iris Spranger said the Vulkangruppe letter claiming responsibility was authenticated, and Mayor Kai Wegner condemned the act as terrorism as state security leads the investigation.
- The outage disrupted heating, mobile networks, traffic systems and rail information, prompting emergency shelters and temporary accommodations, with some schools and kindergartens closed in affected districts.
- Authorities cite parallels to a September power-line attack and a 2024 sabotage of Tesla's supply, fueling calls for federal support and stronger protection of critical infrastructure.