{"id":1584,"date":"2026-01-05T17:28:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T16:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepp.net\/?post_type=news&p=1584"},"modified":"2026-01-05T17:29:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T16:29:28","slug":"major-power-failure-berlin-fire-attack-2026-01-03","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/prepp.net\/en\/news\/major-power-failure-berlin-fire-attack-2026-01-03\/","title":{"rendered":"Large-scale power outage in Berlin after arson attack on 03.01.2026 - costly repairs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since the January 3, 2026<\/strong> there is a new building in the southwest of Berlin massive power failure<\/strong>, which paralyzed several thousand households and businesses. The interruption to the power supply is the result of a Arson attack on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal<\/strong> near the Lichterfelde power station, in which several high- and medium-voltage cables were severely damaged. Although the supply has been partially restored, it is expected that a far-reaching normalization is only possible on Thursday<\/strong> - several days after the start of the outage.<\/p>\n

Cause: Incendiary devices damage central lines<\/h2>\n

According to police investigations, incendiary devices were placed under the supply cables, triggering a fire that destroyed five high-voltage cables and ten medium-voltage cables. The damage is considerable: the destruction of these cable harnesses not only caused a power cut, but also District heating, mobile communications and internet services<\/strong> were affected at times. The authorities assume a deliberate attack on the electricity infrastructure<\/strong> from.<\/p>\n

Why the repair takes so long<\/h2>\n

There are several technical and logistical reasons for the lengthy repair work:<\/p>\n

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  • Complexity of the cable technology:<\/strong> The damaged cables consist of different cable technologies (e.g. plastic and oil cables), the connection of which requires special expertise and specific tools.<\/li>\n
  • Working under difficult conditions:<\/strong> For a professional connection, the cables must be installed in the most dust-free environment<\/strong> and with plus temperatures<\/strong> be brought together. This sometimes requires the digging of deep excavation pits and the deployment of specially trained specialists.<\/li>\n
  • Temporary and permanent solutions:<\/strong> While some households have already been reconnected to the grid, work is continuing in parallel on a permanent repair of the cable bridge<\/strong> which takes more time. This is one of the main reasons why the full recovery takes longer. is expected several days after the incident - probably by Thursday<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Scope of the impact<\/h2>\n

    In total, initially around 45,000 households and around 2,200 commercial enterprises<\/strong> affected, especially in the districts Zehlendorf, Nikolassee, Wannsee and Lichterfelde<\/strong>. In some cases, thousands of households were initially provisionally supplied again, but Thousands more are expected to be without regular power supply until Thursday<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    The outage hits Berlin during a period of cold winter weather and has already led to School closures, local transport restrictions and the establishment of warming rooms<\/strong> led. The Berlin administration has a Major damage situation declared<\/strong>, to coordinate emergency services and provide additional resources.<\/p>\n

    Investigations and security issues<\/h2>\n

    The investigation into the arson attack continues. Security authorities are examining a Letter of confession from a left-wing extremist group<\/strong>, which is said to have claimed responsibility for the crime. The attack has also sparked discussions about the Vulnerability of critical infrastructure<\/strong> and the question of how such systems can be better protected in the future.