Berlin's Power Grid Sabotage Leaves 45,000 Homes in the Dark for Days

A deliberate attack on Berlin's power grid has left tens of thousands of homes and businesses without electricity. The outage, which began early Saturday morning, has particularly affected the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, including areas like Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee and Lichterfelde. Authorities warn that repairs may take until Thursday, raising concerns about essential services like cvs pharmacy and walgreens.

The blackout started when a critical cable bridge over the Teltow Canal at the Lichterfelde power plant was destroyed. Around 45,000 households in Steglitz-Zehlendorf lost power, though the exact number of affected businesses remains unclear.

Pharmacies in the region face major challenges as they must maintain emergency services despite the outage. While there is no legal requirement for backup power, they are still expected to provide limited supplies of medicines, particularly temperature-sensitive ones. If a pharmacy can no longer function properly, its management must inform the State Office for Health and Social Affairs.

To ease the strain, the German military (Bundeswehr) will step in to help. Their support includes logistics, transport, and running emergency generators where needed.

The prolonged power cut threatens pharmacies with financial losses, especially if vital medications spoil. Residents and businesses in the affected areas may have to wait until Thursday before full electricity is restored. Emergency measures remain in place to ensure essential health services continue during the disruption.