Power Grid Sabotage Leaves Berlin in the Dark

A politically motivated attack on high-voltage power lines in south-west Berlin, attributed to left-wing extremists, has left many households and businesses without electricity. While some power has been restored, thousands remain affected. Snowy weather hinders restoration efforts. The incident is under investigation as arson.

Many households and businesses in south-west Berlin are facing electricity disruptions after high-voltage power lines were damaged by a politically motivated arson attack. City authorities have confirmed the involvement of left-wing extremists in the incident.

The fire erupted on Saturday morning on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal, near the Lichterfelde power plant, initially leaving over 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses in four districts without power. Essential services such as heating and internet were also compromised.

Berlin's Senator for Economic Affairs, Franziska Giffey, labeled it as a severe outage affecting tens of thousands, including critical institutions. Although electricity has been restored to some, many households could face darkness until Thursday, given the challenges posed by snowy and freezing conditions. Authorities are investigating this as a potential case of arson, recalling a similar incident last September.

(With inputs from agencies.)