Power restored in Berlin after longest blackout since World War Two

The operation to restore power is a complex and gradual process

Members of THW (Technisches Hilfswerk, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief) set up lighting using a power generator during a blackout that left thousands of homes without electricity after a suspected arson attack at the power plant Lichterfelde in the district Steglitz-Zehlendorf in southern Berlin, Germany, Jan 4, 2026. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Electricity was restored to southwestern Berlin on Wednesday after a suspected arson attack on a power station by leftist activists caused a blackout for tens of thousands of households, the longest outage in the German capital since World War Two.

"Today is a good day for the many people affected who had been cut off from electricity and heat since January 3," said Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner.

The operation to restore power, which started at 11am (1000 GMT), was a complex and gradual process, he said.

A blaze early on Saturday destroyed a cable duct over a canal, cutting off power in about 45,000 households and more than 2,000 businesses in southwestern districts of the city at a time of freezing temperatures.

The far-left Volcano activist group, which in 2024 said it attacked a power pylon near Tesla's factory outside Berlin, claimed responsibility.

The German army was called in to support residents struggling with the outage, which also affected mobile phone connections, heating and trains.

The prolonged fallout has prompted some politicians to demand more investment to protect the capital's infrastructure, especially since the domestic intelligence agency has warned about growing risks from left-wing militants.