Suspected Arson Causes Major Power Outage for Tens of Thousands in Southwestern Berlin

Widespread Disruption Follows Early Morning Blaze

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses in southwestern Berlin were plunged into darkness on Saturday, January 3, 2026, after a fire, suspected to be arson, damaged high-voltage cables on a bridge over the Teltow Canal. Emergency services were alerted at 6:45 am (0545 GMT) to the blaze near the Lichterfelde power station, which quickly extinguished the fire but left a significant portion of the city's power grid compromised.

The grid operator, Stromnetz Berlin, confirmed that approximately 45,000 households and 2,200 commercial customers across the districts of Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde were affected by the outage. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, deploying around 160 officers to the site in the Lichterfelde area and are 'investigating on suspicion of arson'.

Severe Impact Amidst Freezing Temperatures

The power cut has had a profound impact on residents, occurring during a period of freezing temperatures and snow in the German capital. Many households are without functioning heating systems, and authorities have advised residents to use mobile phones sparingly and ensure they have torches at hand.

The disruption extends beyond residential areas, affecting critical infrastructure and services:

• Hospitals and care homes: Several facilities in the affected areas were impacted, leading to the evacuation of patients from at least two homes.
• Communication: Mobile phone and landline services in the affected districts may also be impacted.
• Public transport: Local train stations experienced issues with electronic information signs and ticket machines, though trains continued to run.

Berlin's senator for economic affairs, Franziska Giffey, highlighted the severity, stating, 'We are dealing with a particularly serious power outage affecting tens of thousands of households and businesses, including care facilities, hospitals, numerous social institutions and companies.'

Protracted Restoration Efforts and Ongoing Investigation

While power was expected to be restored to some customers in the Lichterfelde district late on January 3, 2026, Stromnetz Berlin anticipates that full power restoration for all affected customers will not occur until Thursday afternoon, January 8, 2026. The extensive damage to the cables necessitates the installation of new ones, and repair work is expected to 'take a very long time,' with cold weather hindering efforts to lay new underground cables.

The suspected arson attack comes as Germany remains on high alert for sabotage activities directed at its infrastructure. Authorities noted a similar incident in September, when a blaze hit electricity pylons in Berlin, causing a widespread outage also suspected to be arson. In that case, an unnamed anarchist group claimed responsibility online.