German authorities have launched a probe into a suspected arson attack that damaged a power pylon near Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. The attack, which was claimed by an environmental group, resulted in power outages across several areas, and it effectively disrupted vehicle production at the electric vehicle plant.
The public prosecutor’s office in the city of Frankfurt an der Oder opened a probe into the incident. As per spokesperson Carola Ochs, investigations are ongoing “in all directions.” The probe will also involve the criminal offense of sabotage of infrastructure that caused harm to the community, as noted in a DW report.
The attack, which left scorch marks on an electricity pylon, cut Giga Berlin’s power supply and thousands of households in several districts. Due to the alleged arson, some facilities in the Freienbrink industrial area, which is close to the Tesla plant, were also forced to stop operations. Tesla, for its part, has noted that the halt in Model Y production will likely extend into next week.
Not long after the attack, a far-left group that called itself the “Volcano Group” claimed responsibility for the arson. Authorities, however, have not identified the perpetrators behind the incident as of yet. Ochs did state that Germany’s federal public prosecutor has been notified about the case. And if needed, the federal public prosecutor could take over the probe.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the incident as a “serious arson attack” whose harm extended far beyond Giga Berlin. Faeser noted that thousands of residents lost power due to the arson, and the resulting power outages adversely affected hospitals and medical operations in the area. “We must have a tough response,” Faeser said. She also urged the public prosecutor’s office to carry out “severe penalties.”
Giga Berlin has received strong opposition from Day 1, and one of the biggest points of protesters against the facility was its water consumption. Tesla, for its part, has noted that Giga Berlin is already a very sustainable plant. A report by the German newspaper Tagesspiegel seems to confirm this, as the publication noted that Tesla had consumed 451,654 cubic meters of water over the past year, well below the amount agreed upon with the local water authority.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
