Power outage in Treptow-Köpenick: District office starts crisis prevention survey

Power outage in Treptow-Köpenick: District office starts crisis prevention survey

On October 9, 2025, the Treptow-Köpenick district of Berlin experienced a widespread power outage caused by an arson attack. Around 45,000 households and commercial customers were affected, although some of them were able to have their electricity supplied again on Tuesday afternoon. The majority, however, remained without power until at least Wednesday. The attacks, which were carried out on two power pylons through arson, including the use of accelerant, severely disrupted not only private lives but also operations in facilities such as schools and nursing homes. Interior Minister Iris Spranger (SPD) noted that no hospital was affected, but nursing homes had to be evacuated.

District mayor Oliver Igel (SPD) emphasized the urgency of better crisis prevention and responded immediately to the situation. The Treptow-Köpenick district office has launched an online survey to record citizens' experiences during the power outage. Important points such as citizens' level of information, problems that arise and the support desired in similar situations should be queried. Igel emphasizes that the collected experiences of citizens are helpful in identifying weak points and optimizing emergency planning. The survey is now accessible anonymously and can be completed in just a few minutes. The results are incorporated directly into the district's emergency and crisis planning, according to a representative of the district office. The survey is available here: Crisis preparedness survey.

Political reactions and challenges

The reactions to the attack and the resulting power outage are varied. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) and Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) strongly condemned the act. The Green parliamentary group in particular expressed criticism of the state of disaster control after the DiDaKat emergency telephone directory failed. This situation was assessed as critical by the authorities, with mobile fire brigade contact points set up to help affected citizens. In addition, it was pointed out that the emergency numbers 110 and 112 cannot be reached in parts of the district.

Wista Management GmbH reported different impacts on companies in the Adlershof Technology Park. These infrastructures are of great importance for Berlin's economy. Even if the likelihood of a widespread, long-lasting power outage is low, the consequences can be serious. This is shown by a report from the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag, which analyzed the potential catastrophic consequences of a power outage lasting several weeks. It is clear that critical infrastructure such as information and telecommunications, healthcare and food supplies would be severely affected if such situations occur.

Crisis management and prevention approaches

In order to better manage such crisis situations, crisis management and disaster control authorities are increasingly relying on emergency power supplies and emergency plans. In Germany there is currently no central authority for emergency planning in the event of power outages. The responsibility lies with the federal, state and local governments, which independently implement measures to improve security of supply. The guidelines from the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance recommend emergency power generators that should be able to function for at least 72 hours without refueling in the event of a failure. This is particularly important for critical areas such as hospitals.

The events in Treptow-Köpenick represent a stark reminder that all citizens should be well informed and prepared to help themselves in the event of a power outage. Necessary preparations such as stockpiling food and water, as well as having flashlights and batteries, can be crucial to remaining able to act in a crisis situation. It is a challenge that the city administration and the district office will have to deal with in the future in order to be better prepared for unforeseen events.

For further information about the current crisis and support options, the reports from Berlin.de, [rbb24]. Civil Protection](https://www.bbk.bund.de/DE/Themen/Kritische-Infrastructures/KRITIS-Gefährlagen/Stromausfall/stromauss_node.html) should be consulted.