Berlin has been hit by a major power outage, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electricity.
A fire broke out on Saturday, damaging the city’s power infrastructure and prompting a police investigation into suspected arson.
Thousands of residents in large parts of southwest Berlin have been affected.
Stromnetz Berlin, the city’s grid operator, said the outage began early on Saturday morning and affects residential neighbourhoods and commercial areas.
A notification on its website said: ‘Due to a fire on a cable bridge in Lichterfelde, the power supply in parts of Steglitz and Zehlendorf is currently interrupted.
‘Power is expected to be restored to Berlin-Lichterfelde late in the evening on 3 January 2026.
‘Power is expected to be restored to all customers on Thursday afternoon, 8 January 2026.’
Stromnetz Berlin said repairs ‘will take a very long time’.
Franziska Giffey, Berlin’s senator for economic affairs, said: ‘We are dealing with a particularly serious power outage affecting tens of thousands of households and businesses, including care facilities, hospitals, numerous social institution and companies.’
Reports suggest the cold weather is hindering efforts to restore power.
It is estimated that between 45,000 and 50,000 households and 2,000 businesses are affected.
Around 160 police officers were deployed to the scene of the fire in the Lichterfelde area.
Police said an investigation had been launched ‘on suspicion of arson’.
Officers reportedly drove vans through the affected areas with loudspeakers urging residents to stay with friends or relatives if possible and ensure they had access to torches.
Train stations were impacted with electronic information signs and ticket machines not working. However trains were running.
It comes just days after Moscow was plunged into darkness following alleged Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian capital, which left nearly half a million residents without power.
Residential buildings, including tower blocks, were captured by locals in complete darkness.
Street lamps appeared to be in blackout in some areas, with the only source of light coming from the cars on the roads.
The blackout was caused by a fire at a substation, according to the Ramenskoye city administration.
Russia claimed it was caused by an enemy drone attack but Ukraine dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at derailing peace talks.
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