Update - after the fire: 7,000 customers resupplied - another 3,000 will follow in the course of the day

04.01.2026

Following the suspected arson attack on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal in Berlin-Lichterfelde, many households and businesses in the south-west of the capital are still without power. Thanks to modifications to other parts of the network, power was restored to about 7,000 households and 150 commercial customers in the Lichterfelde district at roughly 3.30 a.m. last night (4 January 2026). Electrical power will be restored to a further 3,000 households in Lichterfelde in the course of Sunday.

This means that around 38,000 households and around 2,000 commercial customers in the Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee and Lichterfelde districts are currently (4 January 2026, 10 a.m.) still without electricity. Stromnetz Berlin is working on the gradual resupply of additional customers. It will probably take until next Thursday afternoon (8 January 2026) before the power is back on for everyone.

The cause of the long-lasting power cut was a fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde cogeneration plant. This damaged several high-voltage cables.

Due to the sustantial damage caused, it will take a very long time to repair the damaged cables.  The construction of an additional temporary high-voltage line in Berlin-Dahlem to resupply customers - including extensive civil engineering and cable pulling - is already underway and work will continue around the clock.

Since late Saturday afternoon, the fire site on the Teltow Canal has also been cleared for repairs by the police. Work has also started here and will also be continuing around the clock over the next few days.

Stromnetz Berlin has received many offers of help from all over Germany in the past few hours. To speed up this work even further, we are discussing possible support, for example with materials or specialist installation personnel.