Microsoft alternative: openDesk is good for emergencies

In early January 2026, approximately 50,000 households in Berlin were left without power during a sudden blackout. The incident raised concerns about Germany’s preparedness for such emergencies, prompting discussions among officials, energy experts, and affected residents. Among them was Michael Zeebe, an elderly resident of a nursing home in Berlin who had previously served as a firefighter. Zeebe, now living with his wife, took proactive steps to ensure he could stay informed during future blackouts. He acquired a hand-crank radio, which proved invaluable when the outage struck. “I had the radio ready at the right time,” he explained, emphasizing its importance in maintaining communication during the crisis. The blackout disrupted essential services within the Heinrich- und Margarete-Grüber-Haus nursing home, where Zeebe resides. Communication systems failed entirely, with mobile networks and internal calling devices rendered useless. At the height of the outage, there was no electricity, forcing residents to remain in their rooms due to the risk of falling. Staff members had to conduct additional rounds to monitor the situation. Despite these challenges, Einrichtungsleiterin Anja Geserick noted that panic did not spread. Most residents stayed in bed, though they faced discomfort from the cold, as heating systems also malfunctioned. Authorities later attributed the blackout to a sabotage act carried out by a group known as the "Vulkangruppe," which has been linked to far-left extremist circles by the German intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz. In response, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) is collaborating with energy sector stakeholders to enhance the security of the power grid. Markus Doll, head of the agency's facilities and network operations division, outlined measures such as installing larger fences around substations and implementing surveillance at vulnerable points. However, he acknowledged that complete monitoring of the entire system is impractical. Hendrik Neumann, managing director of transmission grid operator Amprion, echoed this sentiment. While he admitted that a 100 percent guarantee against outages is unattainable, he praised Germany’s high level of supply security. Neumann highlighted the country’s integration into the European supergrid, which he described as the world’s largest power network. “Large disruptions are very rare and unlikely,” he stated, underscoring confidence in the resilience of the system. Cyberattacks pose another growing threat to energy infrastructure. According to the Bundesnetzagentur, there were 769 cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure in 2024—a 43 percent increase compared to the previous year. Markus Doll warned that this trend is likely to continue. Dr. Rolf von Uslar, a general physician with the Bundeswehr, pointed to Russia as a major source of these attacks, describing them as part of a systematic effort to test vulnerabilities in Germany’s systems. To mitigate risks, Amprion has taken steps to secure its IT systems by isolating them from external internet access. Should a widespread blackout occur, however, the role of black-start-capable power plants becomes crucial. These specialized plants can generate electricity even when the grid is down, facilitating recovery efforts. The Bundesnetzagentur reports that Germany currently operates 174 such plants, providing a vital backup capability in case of large-scale failures.