Berlin, July 7 – An independent expert commission has issued a stark warning that Berlin is still not sufficiently prepared for crises and disasters. The multi-day power outage in the southwest of the capital earlier this year, which affected approximately 100,000 residents, exposed numerous vulnerabilities, according to the report presented today at the Red City Hall.
Blackout Reveals Critical Weaknesses
The commission’s findings, released roughly six months after the incident, point to a range of deficiencies, from inadequate communication with the public and shortcomings in emergency power supply to the complete collapse of the mobile network in the affected districts. “The terrorist attack on the power grid in January 2026 was a wake-up call for Berlin and other cities,” stated the commission.
The power outage, the largest in Berlin since World War II, left many residents without electricity, heating, or functioning mobile phones in the middle of winter. The blackout, which occurred from January 3rd to 7th, was attributed to a suspected left-wing extremist arson attack on a cable bridge in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district.
Threats from Cyberattacks, Sabotage, and Extreme Temperatures
Uwe Nerger, a commission member and former brigadier general, emphasized the increasing frequency of human-induced disasters, such as attacks. He warned that the risk is escalating on multiple fronts. Heyo Kroemer, CEO of Charité, added that threats to Berlin also include cyberattacks, sabotage, and climate-related major incidents due to extreme heat or cold.
As a direct consequence, the four-member commission proposes the establishment of a situation and crisis center that would connect all crisis response teams within the state and with federal authorities. They also recommend creating a Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) position at the State Secretary level within the Senate Chancellery.
Experts Urge More Crisis Drills and Public Involvement
Albrecht Broemme, another commission member and former Berlin State Fire Chief, called for significantly more regular drills to prepare for crises, stressing the importance of involving the public. “It’s not enough for the fire department and police to function,” Broemme stated.
The commission has set a target for all Berlin crisis-affected stakeholders to be able to maintain their core functions for at least ten days by 2029. Sigrid Nikutta, former CEO of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, underscored the urgency, saying, “It would be good if we started implementing this tomorrow.”
Berlin Mayor Acknowledges Need for Investment
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) conceded that Berlin needs to become more professional in its crisis preparedness. “This costs money. We will have to reallocate funds in the budget in the coming years,” he said.
Wegner highlighted Berlin’s unique threat situation as the federal capital, housing the Bundestag, Bundesrat, and Chancellery. He pointed out that a similar power outage could also affect federal authorities, demanding that the federal government take on more financial responsibility for protecting critical infrastructure.
Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) expressed skepticism regarding the CRO proposal, stating, “I have a slightly different opinion than the expert commission.” She believes an additional commissioner is unnecessary, suggesting that a State Secretary with corresponding responsibilities within the interior administration would be a better solution. However, Spranger agreed that a central situation and crisis center is a reasonable proposal and emphasized the need for significantly more investment in disaster preparedness.
The commission, appointed by Wegner at the end of January, has produced a 50-page report titled “Resilience in Berlin: On the Functionality of Critical Infrastructure.” It analyzes the experiences from the January power outage and proposes dozens of individual measures, including better protection of sensitive data related to Berlin’s power grid, closer cooperation among Berlin hospitals for crisis situations, the establishment of designated “disaster protection beacons” as contact points across Berlin, and a mobile network capable of functioning for at least 72 hours during crises.
Source: https://www.lz.de/ueberregional/nachrichten/24369289_Experten-Berlin-muss-Katastrophenschutz-deutlich-staerken.html
