A second power outage has struck the French Riviera region, with a fire igniting at a substation in Nice amidst growing concerns of sabotage. This incident, which occurred around 02:00 local time on Sunday, has left at least 45,000 homes without electricity. It follows a significant blackout a day earlier in nearby Cannes, where approximately 160,000 homes were affected, attributed to suspected arson.
Local authorities, investigating the Nice incident, have reported finding suspicious tire tracks and damage to the door of the substation, fueling fears of a deliberate act of malicious intent. Mayor Christian Estrosi expressed his strong denunciation of these "malicious acts that affect our country" on social media platform X. Deputy mayor Gaël Nofri echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the fire at the substation was likely of a criminal nature.
The power outage in Nice also resulted in disruptions to key services, including Nice Airport and the tramway network, in addition to impacting neighboring towns such as Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Power was eventually restored in the morning following efforts from local crews.
The previous day's blackout in Cannes was particularly disruptive, coinciding with the famed international film festival. Though festival organizers managed to switch to private generators to continue screenings, the incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the region's electrical infrastructure. Despite similarities between these incidents, authorities have yet to confirm a connection.
In response, Estrosi announced steps to enhance security at the region's electrical facilities, while the Nice prosecutor Damien Martinelli indicated an ongoing investigation into what may potentially be organized arson activity. The local community remains on edge as officials work to ascertain the full implications of these two alarming events.
