Major power disruption in southern France due to suspected arson incident
Southeastern France Experiences Second Major Power Outage in Nice
NICE, France — A second significant power outage struck the city of Nice early on Sunday, this time attributed to a suspected arson incident at an electrical facility. The accident left approximately 45,000 homes without electricity, stopping the city's trams and briefly affecting power at Nice Cote d'Azur Airport during overnight hours.
Officials have yet to establish a connection between the latest blackout and the outage on Saturday that affected the city of Cannes during the closing day of its prestigious film festival. Two installations in the Alpes-Maritimes department were damaged in a suspected arson incident on Saturday, temporarily cutting power to around 160,000 homes, including events at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Nice blackout began around 2 a.m., and power was fully restored by 5:30 a.m., according to energy provider Enedis. The Nice public prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation for "organized arson."
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi condemned the attack and emphasized the potential risks, especially for hospitals. Estrosi stated, "I strongly denounce these malicious acts targeting our country. As long as the perpetrators haven't been caught, we will remain on high alert." He also ordered all sensitive electrical infrastructure in the city to be placed under police protection.
As investigations continue, authorities are examining methods used, the extent of the damage, and potential connections between the incidents. Efforts to strengthen network security at strategic sites and identify the responsible parties are currently underway.
Additional power outages have occurred across Europe, including an "exceptional" power outage in Spain and Portugal that affected millions of people and a series of incidents in Southern California amid a summer heat wave. Investigations are also ongoing into attacks on France's rail network ahead of the Olympics opening.
In light of the recent power outage in Nice, California authorities are keeping a close eye on their infrastructure due to escalating incidents of organized arson, as seen in Europe. Los Angeles officials are reinforcing security measures around sensitive electrical facilities, similar to the steps taken by Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi. The general news and crime-and-justice sectors are closely monitoring these developments as political implications could potentially arise from these malicious acts.
