Berlin pays 900,000 euros for hotels after power outage

Berlin is covering 900,000 euros in hotel costs for residents displaced by a major power outage in January. The outage, which affected 100,000 people in the city's southwest for several days, was reportedly caused by an arson attack on a cable bridge. Many residents lacked electricity and heating during the blackout.

The Berlin Senate approved the reimbursement plan, with the local district managing the application and payment process. District official Tim Richter reported that 3,116 applications for accommodation costs were reviewed, with 2,933 approved and paid out. The average cost per person per night was between 52 and 55 euros.

Another 129 applications were rejected, typically because stays were outside the affected period or not in commercial accommodations like hotels. Some applicants withdrew their requests, and new applications are still being processed. Richter described the aid program as a success, noting its rapid and pragmatic implementation, setting up a legally sound and uncomplicated procedure in a remarkably short time for Berlin.

Despite the successful reimbursement, the "neuralgic point" in Berlin's power grid that was attacked remained largely unprotected before the incident, with cables partially exposed. The power supply was fully restored on January 7th, but the incident has also sparked discussion about the city's crisis management and communication during the blackout.

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This is the first time something of this magnitude has been implemented in Berlin at this speed.