Power outage in Berlin: Thousands of households without light and water!

Power outage in Berlin: Thousands of households without light and water!

On November 21st, 2025, Berlin will experience one of the most serious power outages in 25 years. More than 13,700 households in the southeast of the city are affected, some of which even have to make do without hot water. The power outage, now in its third day, began on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday after an arson attack on two power poles was discovered around 3:30 a.m. It took the fire department an hour to extinguish the fire, which destroyed several power lines in the Treptow-Köpenick district. According to rbb24, initial estimates indicate that around 50,000 households and businesses are affected by the massive power outages, with around 30,000 households being reconnected to the grid on the first day.

The police and fire brigade are deployed with increased forces as some emergency numbers, including 110 and 112, cannot be reached in parts of the district. Certain tram and bus routes are also restricted due to the outage. The affected tram lines M17, 63 and 68 as well as bus line 265 had to be rerouted. While many schools remained closed on Wednesday, they reopened as normal on Thursday. Tagesschau reports that the situation is extremely challenging for the local people, as they often have to make do without basic supplies in the affected areas and residents can charge their cell phones in the disaster protection lighthouses.

Politically motivated arson targeted

The police suspect that it was a politically motivated attack. The perpetrators used an accelerant, which led the investigation to a possible extremist background. A suspected letter of responsibility that was published on the radical left-wing platform “Indymedia” is directed against the Adlershof Technology Park and is critical of the military-industrial complex. The Governing Mayor of Berlin and Wista Management GmbH strongly condemned the attack. The investigation is now being taken over by the State Security Office of the State Criminal Police Office, as previous evidence points to a targeted attack, with the choice of the electricity pylons as a particularly alarming target.

As Deutsche Welle reports, it is suspected that the perpetrators also wanted to establish a connection with a planned development center for the electric car manufacturer Tesla in the region. In the meantime, Stromnetz Berlin appeals to citizens to reduce electricity consumption in order to ensure the stability of the supply.

The impact of this power outage is far-reaching and does not just affect the direct power supply. Shops have had to close, public transport has come to a standstill and traffic lights have failed, causing further complications in city traffic. Authorities must act quickly to restore services and ensure the safety of citizens.

Further information on this incident will continue to be updated as the police investigation continues and the city struggles to restore infrastructure.