In Berlin, around 28,000 households are without electricity for the fourth day in a row. After the major power outage in the southwest of the capital as a result of an arson attack, work to restore the supply is making slow progress, according to those involved. But according to the operator Stromnetz Berlin, it will take until Thursday afternoon until everyone affected is back on the grid.
Until then, many thousands of people will have to stay in dark and cold apartments or in alternative accommodation without electricity or heat. Some have gone to hotels, others are warming up in emergency shelters or other shelters during the day. You can also eat and drink there and charge your cell phone. About 20 schools remain closed for the second day in a row.
Open more supermarkets
At least a little bit of normality is gradually returning to the affected parts of the city – thanks to more and more emergency generators that are gradually going into operation. According to Berlin’s internal administration, the Bundeswehr is now also helping with the transport, construction, connection and diesel supply of the mobile systems, and a refueling operation started in the evening.
After the first supermarkets opened on Monday, several other large chains are reopening their stores today. The Senate hopes that the severely disrupted S-Bahn traffic on lines S1 and S7 will improve and that trains will be able to stop at Wannsee station again, even in the dark. Here, emergency generators will provide lighting for the platforms and the underpass. All 74 nursing homes should have power again during Monday.
The police are also on duty this night with 300 officers in uniform and in civilian clothes to ensure so-called room security. The main aim is to prevent break-ins – so far, according to the police, this has largely been successful.
100,000 people affected
After the arson attack on a cable bridge in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, for which a left-wing extremist group claimed responsibility, 45,000 households and 2,200 companies were without power in southwest Berlin on Saturday morning. Little by little, some of the customers were reconnected. According to the operator Stromnetz Berlin, 27,800 households and around 1,450 commercial customers are currently without electricity. According to Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU), 100,000 people were or are affected by the blackout. Berlin declared a so-called major damage situation on Sunday.
Extensive investigations
There are still no results from the investigation into the perpetrators. The police speak of a very extensive crime scene work. The first witnesses are being heard and video material from the BVG transport company is being evaluated. The left-wing extremist so-called “volcano groups”, which claimed responsibility for the attack in a letter, have been known to the investigators for some time. They have probably attacked railway systems or the power grid several times.
Politics speaks of terrorism
Governing Mayor Wegner and Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) classify the attack as terrorism. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) sees it similarly. “In our opinion, this was an attack with profound knowledge and a clearly planned attack,” he told Bild. “Left-wing terrorism is back in Germany with increasing intensity.”
The attack and its far-reaching consequences sparked a debate about the vulnerability of so-called critical infrastructure. “Our critical infrastructure is vulnerable,” said Wegner. “She is exposed to attacks all over Germany every day.” Now we have to look at how it can be protected even better. Berlin’s power grid is one of the largest in Europe and includes 35,000 kilometers of cable. One percent – around 350 kilometers – runs above ground.
