Massive Power Outage Hits Berlin, 45,000 Households Affected
Berlin's southwest faces massive power outage amid winter, suspected sabotage causes crisis affecting 45,000 households.
A major power outage in southwest Berlin has left around 45,000 households and 2,200 commercial customers without electricity, heating and telephone services, prompting German authorities to investigate the incident as a suspected deliberate attack on critical infrastructure.
The outage began on Saturday morning and is affecting large parts of the German capital’s southwest at a time when Berlin is experiencing a severe winter cold spell. Network operators warned that power restoration efforts could extend until Thursday, according to reports by German newspaper Bild.
Tens of thousands without power during winter cold
Residents in affected districts have been left without heating systems as temperatures plunge, with commercial facilities, social institutions, care centres and hospitals among those impacted. Authorities described the scale of the disruption as one of the most serious power failures Berlin has faced in recent years.
Investigation points to targeted sabotage
Investigators believe the outage was not accidental. According to information cited by Bild, a deliberately set fire behind a container ignited multiple underground electrical cable routes, triggering widespread damage to the grid.
Police and firefighters remain on continuous deployment. Criminal investigators from Berlin’s State Criminal Police Office (LKA) have secured footprints found along a waterside path leading to the scene, with snow traces collected for forensic analysis.
Security sources said the perpetrators appeared to have detailed knowledge of the electrical infrastructure, raising concerns about a targeted operation. While left-wing extremism is among the theories being examined, officials have not ruled out the possibility of a coordinated foreign-linked action, including scenarios connected to wider geopolitical tensions.
Officials warn of severity
Berlin’s regional Minister for Economy and Energy, Franziska Giffey, described the situation as critical, saying:
“We are facing an exceptionally severe power outage affecting tens of thousands of households and businesses, including care units, hospitals, and numerous social institutions.”
She added that the disruption exceeded the scale of the September 2025 Adlershof outage and noted that repair efforts are being slowed by frozen ground and harsh weather conditions.
Cold wave deepens crisis
The blackout comes as Berlin faces persistent frost and snowfall. Meteorologists warned that overnight temperatures could drop to minus 10 degrees Celsius or lower, increasing risks for residents without heating.
Emergency shelters and response measures
Local authorities in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, working with support organisations, are preparing emergency shelters, including sports halls and public buildings. Berlin’s fire service has already opened three information and support points, with more than 350 firefighters, alongside the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), mobilised.
Officials are also considering deploying emergency generators and heated tents in key neighbourhoods as investigations and repair works continue.
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