Berlin’s January Power Outage Was Terror Attack, Commission Says

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(Bloomberg) — A five-day power outage in Berlin in January was caused by a terrorist attack, a state-appointed commission said, describing the incident as a “wake-up call” for cities across Germany.

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In a report published Monday, the commission made recommendations to beef up security on critical infrastructure. It called for more federal funding to better prepare for such crises and expand disaster relief, as well as a new position of chief resilience officer for Berlin. The report didn’t address the total cost of the outage or the potential motivations of the attackers.

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Europe has seen several attempts to sabotage key energy infrastructure in recent years, from explosions on subsea gas pipelines to cyberattacks against electricity and fuel networks. 

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The outage in Berlin — resulting from an arson attack that’s still being investigated by the federal prosecutor — was the longest in Germany’s postwar history and affected more than 100,000 people. It followed an earlier blackout in September and underscored the city’s vulnerability in the depths of winter. Both were claimed by left-wing extremists.

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“The terrorist attack on the power grid in January 2026 was a wake-up call for Berlin and other cities,” the commission said. “The power outage was resolved in just a few days, yet it revealed how ill-prepared Berlin is for larger, longer-lasting, or hybrid situations.”

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In response to the report, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said a package of more than 60 measures was already in train to “make Berlin safer and more resilient to crises,” and further steps would be taken following the recommendations.

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