According to a report by Deutsche Presse-Agentur on January 3, citing Berlin's grid operator, about 50,000 households and 2,200 businesses in southwest Berlin experienced a power outage on the 3rd due to a fire affecting an electrical cable connection facility. 

Later that day, a letter claiming responsibility for the incident surfaced. The police announced on the social platform X that the department responsible for political crimes is currently investigating the authenticity of the letter. It is still unclear which political faction or group the letter came from. 

The police have begun investigating whether the incident was caused by arson. Previously, in September 2025, there was a politically motivated attack in southeast Berlin that caused a similar power outage. 

Berlin's grid operator stated that due to the severe damage, repairing the cables would take a long time, and it is expected that power for all users will be fully restored by Thursday afternoon. The company said that workers need to dig trenches and lay cables, and the severe cold is hindering construction progress. 

In addition, forensic investigations at the fire site are also underway. 

The outage affected streetlights, mobile communications, traffic signals, supermarket refrigerators, and private homes. With temperatures hovering around freezing, heating systems were also paralyzed.