Overview
- The outage began Saturday after a fire on a suspension bridge over the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde power plant damaged high-voltage lines, according to local authorities.
- Authorities say 45,000 to 50,000 households and roughly 2,200 businesses across four districts were affected, with heating and internet services disrupted in some areas.
- Grid operator Stromnetz reports roughly 7,000 households have power again and projects complete restoration by Thursday, noting snow and sub-zero temperatures are slowing repairs.
- Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said evidence indicates a politically motivated arson attack by far-left extremists, and police have deployed hundreds of officers as investigators review a claim of responsibility.
- Bild has reported that a group calling itself Vulkangruppe claimed the attack, a statement that has not been independently verified; emergency support centers and generator-equipped sites are assisting residents.