Tesla shut down its Gigafactory in Berlin after suspected sabotage led to a power outage

Tesla was forced to shut down its Gigafactory Berlin today after a major power outage that may have been caused by vandalism.

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin, the automaker's only factory in Europe.

First, it was forced to halt production due to supply issues amid problems with cargo ships passing through the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait due to the civil war in Yemen.

Subsequently, local residents in Gruenheide, the municipality where the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin is located, voted against expanding the factory, which would require clearing more than 100 hectares of forest.

Furthermore, environmental activists set up camp in the forest outside the plant in an attempt to stop the expansion last week.

Now, Tesla has been forced to halt production and evacuate the factory today amid possible sabotage of its power supply.

According to a report by DW, unidentified assailants set fire to a high-voltage pole between Steinfurt and Hartmannsdorf early Tuesday morning – cutting out power to about 2,000 people, including the Gigafactory in Berlin.

Brandenburg State Interior Minister Michael Stubgen (CDU) spoke of a “treacherous attack” on the electricity infrastructure.

No one has announced the attack yet, but Tesla is rumored to be the target based on the location and timing of the attack, with environmental activists calling for action against the company.

Tesla told local media in Germany that it has secured the factory, but it is not clear when it can resume production due to the power situation.

DW reported:

Tesla said that all measures had been taken to secure production facilities, but after consulting with electricity supplier EDIS, the company did not expect to resume production quickly.

Tesla produces the Model Y, the first electric car to become the world's best-selling car, at Gigafactory Berlin.

Take Electric

And as I said last week, when tree worshipers set up camp at the expansion site, Tesla shouldn't be at the top of your list if you're an environmentalist.

If so, and if you are willing to go so far as to set electrical infrastructure on fire, I have to question your motives.

Tesla addressed the two main concerns of environmental activists with the Giga Berlin project: water use and deforestation. It has dramatically reduced its water use needs and committed to replanting more trees than it removes.

When a new electric car is produced at the factory, that electric car converts dirty gas mileage into cleaner electric mileage. This is a net positive.

Setting fire to high voltage towers is completely passive.