Arson suspected as power outage strikes Cannes amid film festival

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.

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