'Very frustrating': Berlin power outage shows vulnerability of Germany's critical infrastructure

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Thousands of people in southwest Berlin continue without heating or electricity despite freezing temperatures after a major power outage caused by an arson attack on Saturday.

The fire damaged electricity cables, cutting power to about 50,000 households and 2,000 commercial businesses, affecting more than 100,000 people.

Authorities in Berlin declared a state of emergency, requesting support from the military and the federal police.

According to utility operator Stromnetz Berlin, the damage to the power grid is severe, and repairs are complicated; full power cannot be restored before Thursday.

The far-left Vulkan Group, known for similar attacks in the past, claimed responsibility for the sabotage in a letter titled: “Cutting off power to those in power.”

The group claimed it had successfully sabotaged a natural gas power plant, portraying the attack as an act of international solidarity against the fossil fuel industry.

Authorities said the Vulkangruppe has been linked to multiple arson attacks in Berlin and Brandenburg since 2011, and has also been associated with attacks on the electrical infrastructure of a Tesla factory in 2021 and 2024.

Berlin’s state intelligence agency, Office for the Protection of the Constitution, classifies the group as anarchist.

- Residents shocked over arson attack

Many Berlin residents felt overwhelmed with the situation sitting in their homes in darkness and cold.

“It is really frightening to see what happened. And we don’t even know when electricity will be restored again. I am an old person, living alone and I don't know what to do. This is really a stressful moment for me,” Renate Muller, a retired teacher, told Anadolu.

Her sentiments were echoed by Ali-Reza Ghadimi, a Berlin-based solar energy expert, who said he was really surprised by the extent of the blackout.

“This is not the first power outage in Berlin but still I was surprised by it Saturday morning after I noticed I had no internet, no electricity and no heat. I managed to stay at a friend’s home over the weekend but that is only a short-term solution. At this point I don’t know when electricity will be restored and this is really frustrating to me because I want to return home,” he said.

“It also goes to show that we need to do more to protect our critical infrastructure.”

A Berlin shopkeeper, Ghassan Jubarra, said people should be prepared for these kind of emergencies by having things like candles, flashlights and drinking water available.

“Many people are simply not prepared for these blackout scenarios and then once it happens are totally surprised by it ... [but] ... the duration of the power outage in our district is in fact very long. I guess the damage is quite extensive and the repair work will take some time,” he said.

“So, we have to be patient and sit out this electricity crisis, even though it is very frustrating because it deeply affects our everyday lives.”

- German government condemns sabotage

The German government has sharply condemned the sabotage act.

“The federal government strongly condemns the arson attack on the power grid in southwest Berlin. Such an attack on our power infrastructure is a serious crime that cannot be justified under any circumstances,” deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille told journalists.

“The perpetrators accepted the risk to human life, especially to hospital patients, the elderly, and families with small children. The circumstances and background of this crime must now be thoroughly investigated so that the perpetrators can be held accountable, he added.

According to the Interior Ministry, it is not yet clear who is behind the attack. A left-wing extremist motive is “obvious,” but the investigation is still ongoing, said Sonja Kock, a ministry spokeswoman.

“In our view, the authenticity of the letter claiming responsibility has not yet been conclusively clarified,” she added.

- How secure is Germany’s critical infrastructure?

Germany’s critical infrastructure has time and again been the target of sabotage acts in recent months.

In September, tens of thousands of households in southeast Berlin were left without power for days after a politically motivated arson attack on electricity pylons.

The railways have also repeatedly been targeted: In 2022, a railway facility in Berlin and the western town of Herne were struck. The impact was widespread: rail traffic in northern Germany was disrupted for hours. Mobile phone masts have also occasionally been struck.

Drones over German airports caused repeated disruptions in the fall. According to the government, drone sightings at important facilities have increased significantly since the start of Russia's war in Ukraine.

“We assume that these drones are also controlled by hostile powers,” said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt at the inauguration of a new drone defense center in December.

The German parliament (Bundestag) is currently discussing a reform of legal regulations concerning the protection of so-called critical infrastructure. This includes areas that ensure the supply of goods and services considered essential. Besides energy and water supply, this includes the food industry and health care, among others.

According to the federal government's proposal, operators of critical infrastructure will in future be required to report incidents and develop plans for dealing with any conceivable risk.