Power supply resumes in Berlin after longest blackout in decades

Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days - the second such incident in the city since September.

Berlin’s energy senator, Franziska Giffey, said electricity supplies were fully reinstated by 2:10 p.m. local time on Wednesday, according to Bloombert, noting that freezing temperatures had complicated repair work on damaged cables.

The outage, described as the longest blackout in Germany since the end of World War II, follows a similar disruption last autumn that authorities also linked to sabotage. Both incidents have been claimed by left-wing extremist groups, raising concerns over the security of critical infrastructure.

In recent years, Europe’s energy sector has faced a series of security threats, including drone activity near power plants and refineries, as well as damage to subsea cables. Investigators say the Berlin cable bridges targeted in the latest attack were particularly vulnerable, as they are located above ground and easily accessible.

Local police reported one death in the affected area - an 83-year-old woman - though it remains unclear whether the fatality was directly linked to the power outage.

Germany’s federal prosecutor has now taken over the investigation into the arson attack.

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