Schleswig-Holstein power outage

On October 18, 2026, a major power outage struck the West Coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, affecting approximately 40,000 households across five districts: Nordfriesland, Dithmarschen, Steinburg, Schleswig-Flensburg, and Rendsburg-Eckernförde.

The disruption began around 9:31 AM and was triggered by a fault in the 110-kV high-voltage network. While the network operator, SH Netz, initially suspected a short circuit, subsequent reports identified a defective transformer as the cause. The fault caused overvoltages and the automatic shutdown of several substations.

The outage resulted in significant damage to electrical installations and appliances, as well as multiple fires at substations in Friedrichstadt and Linden. One residential fire in Bunsoh destroyed a thatched-roof house, causing an estimated 500,000 euros in damage. The disruption also caused failures in medical equipment at nursing homes and impacted telephone and mobile networks.

Most households were reconnected via network switching by 11:48 AM, though full restoration for most areas was not achieved until approximately 5:00 PM. Following the incident, the FDP political group called for a transparent investigation, raising concerns regarding the complexity of the energy transition and potential sabotage against critical infrastructure.