Households and businesses in the southwestern part of Berlin are facing potential prolonged power outages due to damage to power lines caused by a fire believed to be a politically motivated attack.
The incident occurred on Saturday, January 3, when a fire broke out on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde power plant in Berlin. Local authorities confirmed that the fire was deliberately set by individuals identified as “left-wing extremists.”
As a result of the damage, more than 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses across four districts are currently without electricity, impacting heating and internet services in the area.
Authorities are treating the incident as a possible case of arson, drawing parallels to a similar power outage in southeast Berlin last September, where radical activists claimed responsibility.
Efforts are underway to verify the authenticity of a letter claiming responsibility for the recent attack on the power infrastructure. Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner denounced the perpetrators as “clearly left-wing extremists” and expressed concerns over the safety of residents.
Franziska Giffey, the city’s Senator for Economic Affairs, described the power outage as “particularly severe,” affecting tens of thousands of households, businesses, care facilities, hospitals, social institutions, and companies. While power has been restored to some households, many are expected to remain without electricity until Thursday due to ongoing challenges posed by snowy weather conditions and freezing temperatures.
Authorities are working diligently to restore power fully, but the adverse weather conditions have complicated the process, making life even more challenging for those impacted by the outage.