June 8, 2026, 9:35 a.mJune 8, 2026, 9:35 a.m
According to the network operator, there are signs of arson in a substation after a large-scale power outage in Reutlingen in southwest Germany.
Image: KEYSTONE/TI-PRESS
Three burns were found and the fence and the area in front of the facility were also damaged, said a spokesman for Netze BW. A spokesman for the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) of the state of Baden-Württemberg said that the police were investigating in all directions. LKA fire experts are involved in the investigation. However, this is common for incidents of a certain dimension, he explained.
Around 10,000 customers remain without electricity
The big city has around 120,000 inhabitants. According to Netze BW, the Reutlingen-West substation is affected. The substation had been down since 1:45 a.m. Five and a half hours later, around half of the 20,000 affected customers of Fairnetz GmbH, the electricity and gas network operator in the Reutlingen region, were supplied again.
According to the information, the two energy companies share the substation. According to the spokesman, Netze BW is providing administrative assistance in rebuilding the power supply.
Memories of Berlin arson attacks
The incident is reminiscent of a suspected left-wing extremist arson attack on the power supply of a Berlin technology park. After the attack on two electricity pylons on September 9, 2025, around 50,000 private households and around 2,000 commercial businesses were temporarily affected by a power outage. Another attack on power cables in Berlin was carried out on January 3rd. The outage lasted even longer than the one in September. (dab/sda/dpa)