GermanyA prolonged power outage in southwest Berlin at the beginning of January highlighted the vulnerability of digital infrastructure during crises. After an attack on a cable bridge at the Lichterfelde power plant, around 100,000 people and numerous institutions were left without electricity for several days. The mobile network in Steglitz-Zehlendorf also collapsed rapidly because many base stations had only a battery backup lasting about 30 minutes. Emergency calls and warnings risked being lost in the digital void. In response, an expert commission appointed by the Berlin Senate requested strict nationwide regulations requiring mobile network sites to be equipped to withstand at least 72 hours of power failure independently. However, the federal government has rejected this proposal. In its reply to a query from the AfD faction, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and State Modernization stated that it opposes blanket legal limits on battery backups or emergency power units at mobile network sites. The government argues that the diversity of locations makes rigid rules impractical, and instead continues to rely on the principle of operator responsibility under the Telecommunications Act.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the concerns raised by the Berlin Senate’s expert commission and the government’s counterarguments without overtly favoring either side. It reports on the technical and regulatory debate without clear ideological slant, balancing the perspectives of local authorities and联邦级
