Berlin, January 11 – The major power outage in Berlin’s southwest, which began last Saturday morning and left 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses without electricity, has officially ended. Interior Senator Iris Spranger declared the major emergency over on Friday evening, stating that the power supply in Steglitz-Zehlendorf is now stable.
Police Union Expresses Alarm Over Infrastructure Protection
Despite the resolution of the power crisis, the German Police Union Berlin (DPolG) has issued a strong statement regarding the protection of critical infrastructure. “The DPolG is gasping for breath. The limit has been exceeded, the barrel is overflowing,” the union declared. This strong reaction stems from the expectation that police officers will now be tasked with protecting Berlin’s critical infrastructure following the suspected terrorist attack on the power supply in Zehlendorf.
DPolG argues that the planned deployment of forces will push the Berlin police to their breaking point. They highlight existing personnel shortages in object protection, as well as in the protection and criminal police departments. The union fears that hundreds of officers will be tied up protecting above-ground power lines and conducting patrols in the former blackout area, raising concerns about the police’s capacity to manage other major incidents in Berlin.
Bodo Pfalzgraf, head of the DPolG in Berlin, stated, “My colleagues are rightly completely stunned by such exaggerated and senseless politically motivated hyperactivity.” The union emphasizes that the protection of critical infrastructure is the responsibility of the operators, not the police. They accuse the Senate of neglecting infrastructure protection and underinvesting for years, now forcing the police to bear the brunt of these failures.
The DPolG has proposed alternative solutions, including consistent video surveillance, the deployment of AI, and analysis software for better protection.
Repair Work to Take Months, Temporary Lines in Place
Following the arson attack on the power grid, a second provisional high-voltage line has been put into operation, further securing the power supply in the affected area. Stromnetz Berlin confirmed that the connection was made as planned without further power interruptions. These temporary solutions will remain in place until the original network condition is restored, a process that is expected to take months due to the significant damage caused by the attack.
Political Fallout: Criticism of Governing Mayor Kai Wegner
The aftermath of the power outage has also seen significant political fallout, particularly concerning Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU). Wegner has faced sharp criticism from other political parties for playing tennis for an hour on the first day of the power outage, a detail he initially withheld. He had previously claimed to have been focused on “crisis management.”
The Green party faction has requested that Wegner appear before the Interior Committee on Monday to answer questions about his actions. Vasili Franco, the Greens’ interior policy spokesman, stated, “As the Green faction, we consider it essential that the Governing Mayor explains himself to parliament.”
Wegner, however, sees no reason to apologize for his tennis match. He stated that he needed to “switch off” and “clear his head” after the crisis had largely been resolved. While acknowledging that it would have been better to disclose the tennis match earlier, he emphasized that his focus was on restoring power to the affected residents.
Even his coalition partner, the SPD, has distanced itself from Wegner’s handling of the crisis. Raed Saleh, head of the SPD parliamentary group, stated that the senators involved had successfully managed the crisis, making Wegner’s “incomprehensible handling” and “behavior towards Berliners” all the more concerning.
Bavarian CSU leader Markus Söder also weighed in, stating, “This is about left-wing terrorism and not about playing tennis for an hour,” in reference to the attack on the Berlin power line. Söder emphasized that left-wing terrorism is a more significant threat than many realize and should be the focus of the discussion.
Major Emergency Lifted, Call for Better Protection for People with Disabilities
Interior Senator Iris Spranger officially lifted the major emergency status on Friday evening, commending the more than 13,000 individuals, including police officers, firefighters, THW personnel, and aid organizations, who contributed to overcoming the crisis. She thanked everyone for their patience, consideration, and solidarity.
However, the Berlin State Advisory Council for People with Disabilities is calling for mandatory crisis and emergency plans for vulnerable groups following the multi-day power outage. They highlight that cold, darkness, and the breakdown of communication channels disproportionately affect people with disabilities, with the failure of electrical aids sometimes leading to acute and life-threatening situations. The council demands barrier-free crisis communication, including in plain language and sign language, and better preparation of care and assistance services for longer power outages. They also advocate for the mandatory involvement of disability representatives in crisis preparedness and disaster control.
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also praised the helpers during the power outage, acknowledging their efforts in setting up emergency shelters, soup kitchens, organizing patient transport, and ensuring security. He also condemned the suspected left-wing extremist attack on the power grid and called for better protection against such acts, stating, “We must do more in Germany and generally get better at protecting our infrastructure from attacks and disasters.”
The city of Berlin continues to work on securing its infrastructure, with police patrols in the affected areas and mobile police stations set up at various locations. An announced attack on the power grid in Marzahn-Hellersdorf was investigated by the police and Stromnetz Berlin, but no threats were found.
Wegner Announces Government Statement Next Week
Kai Wegner has acknowledged that not everything went smoothly during the crisis management of the power outage. He announced that he would deliver a government statement next Thursday in the state parliament, promising a “ruthless analysis” of recent crisis experiences. He emphasized the need to better protect critical infrastructure in Berlin, such as the power grid, and to optimize crisis management and disaster preparedness.
Source: https://www.morgenpost.de/berlin/article410837880/stromausfall-berlin-news-aktuell-kai-wegner-strom.html
