Southwest Berlin remains a blackout zone entering day four, stemming from a fiery assault on critical power infrastructure that authorities now classify as terrorism. Saturday’s blaze in a power station cable felled electricity for 45,000 homes and 2,200+ businesses initially, with 24,700 residences and 1,120 operations still offline by midday in Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde.
Stromnetz Berlin grapples with intricate fixes, missing Thursday deadlines amid technical snags. Relief came for five district hospitals, back online Sunday. Yet, relentless snow and plummeting temperatures compound the misery, with one Nikolassee dweller, Christiane, clocking 11.5°C indoors: ‘Too cold for anyone.’
Vulkan Group surfaced online Sunday, proudly announcing damage to Lichterfelde’s gas power setup. Mayor Kai Wegner minced no words Tuesday: ‘A left-wing terrorist attack—not arson, not mischief, pure terror.’
Federal prosecutors pursue leads on terror affiliations, intentional damage, fire-starting, and utility sabotage. Interior Senator Iris Spranger affirmed the plot’s precision and evil design against the power grid. This brazen breach lays bare Europe’s energy vulnerabilities to radical elements, prompting calls for fortified protections as Berlin slowly reilluminates.