By Bahattin Gonultas
BERLIN (AA) – Production at Tesla's factory in Germany has halted due to a power outage caused by a fire on an electricity pylon on Tuesday morning, with police saying they are investigating "all directions" and have not ruled out an arson attack.
A burning power pole in Gosen-Neu Zittau province caused a power outage, according to the German news agency DPA.
While Tesla made no statement on the issue, the news agency reported that employees on the morning shift were sent home.
Last week, around 80 activists from the "Stop Tesla" initiative protested against the company’s expansion plans, saying it would destroy the forested area near the factory.
The activists, who claimed Tesla had occupied the forested area next to the factory, supported the Grunheide residents' opposition to the expansion plan and demanded the protection of the region's drinking water sources.
Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, has intended to build storage facilities next to the existing 300-hectare factory to increase supply security and a kindergarten for employees' children.
It is claimed that Tesla's plan will lead to the cutting down of trees on about 100 hectares.
While the intense water demand required by the plant creates a troublesome situation for those living in the region, which has been hit by drought in the last five years, it is stated that the expansion plan will also negatively affect the "water protection zone."
Last week, residents in Grunheide voted against the factory expansion.
For the first factory area, 92 hectares of trees were cut down, which caused a reaction from environmentalists and the German public.
*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul