A suspected arson attack led to widespread power disruptions in southern France on Saturday, affecting Cannes during its world-famous film festival as investigators look into the cause of a fire at a local power station.
Southern France experienced a major power outage on Saturday, including the city of Cannes, where the renowned Cannes Film Festival was taking place. Authorities have opened an investigation into a possible arson attack as the cause of the disruption.
The blackout originated from a fire at a high-voltage power station in Tanneron, a town located about 23 kilometers west of Cannes. According to the Alpes-Maritimes departmental office, the fire significantly disrupted power in the region. A spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie confirmed that officials are considering the likelihood that the fire was started intentionally. No arrests have been reported at this stage.
Local businesses in Tanneron, such as a café and a bakery, were without electricity on Saturday morning, leaving them unable to serve customers during peak hours.
Power returned partially in Cannes by the afternoon. The national electricity transmission operator, RTE, stated that work was underway to fully restore electricity to all affected areas within hours.
Despite the disruption, the Cannes Film Festival confirmed that the closing ceremony would proceed as planned on Saturday evening.
This incident follows a major blackout on April 28 that impacted the Iberian Peninsula, affecting Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and parts of southern France. Spain’s electricity grid operator REE reported that the disturbance began in regions like Granada, Badajoz, and Seville. These areas rely heavily on photovoltaic solar energy and lack synchronized backup sources such as hydroelectric, thermal, or nuclear power, making them especially vulnerable to fluctuations.
As soon as France detected frequency instabilities from Spain’s power grid, it disconnected from the shared system to protect its own infrastructure. This move left the Iberian Peninsula isolated, which intensified the disruption.
Authorities continue to investigate the Tanneron fire while monitoring grid stability in the region.
Escalating gang violence in Haiti has displaced 680,000 children, nearly twice as many as last year, as armed groups seize more territory and basic se...
A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a devastating wildfire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles ea...
More than 200 health facilities in war-hit eastern Congo have run out of medicines due to widespread looting and supply chain disruptions during fight...
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected as “incorrect” the report by a Kuwaiti newspaper on recent contacts between Tehran and Washington ...
The 7th Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan has concluded in Russia with participants issuing a joint statement heavily hinting at a joint oppo...
A suspected arson attack may be behind the widespread power outage that struck southeastern France, disrupting daily life and briefly halting events at the Cannes Film Festival just hours before its grand finale.
After two thrilling weeks of premieres and parties, the Cannes Film Festival prepares to close with the crowning of this year's prestigious Palme d'Or winner.
The 2025 Cannes Film Festival, now at its halfway point, has already delivered surprises, standout stars, and new regulations, making it one of the most talked-about editions in recent years.
The 78th Cannes Film Festival opened with a star-studded ceremony, honoring Robert De Niro with an honorary Palme d’Or, as Hollywood’s finest gathered to celebrate cinema.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he may travel to the Middle East this weekend as talks continue on a potential deal to end the war in Gaza.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tajikistan on Wednesday for a series of meetings with leaders of former Soviet republics focused on regional cooperation and Moscow’s influence in Central Asia.
Escalating gang violence in Haiti has displaced 680,000 children, nearly twice as many as last year, as armed groups seize more territory and basic services collapse, UNICEF warned on Wednesday.
A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a devastating wildfire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles earlier this year.
The 7th Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan has concluded in Russia with participants issuing a joint statement heavily hinting at a joint opposition to any foreign military infrastructure in Afghanistan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment