A second major power outage in two days hit southeastern France early Sunday, affecting approximately 45,000 homes in Nice and surrounding areas after a fire at a substation that authorities suspect was deliberately set.
The blaze broke out around 2:00 a.m. local time in a substation in western Nice, where investigators found broken doors and tire tracks, according to local media. The outage disrupted tram services, briefly impacted Nice Côte d'Azur Airport during its overnight closure, and left parts of neighboring towns Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer without power. Electricity was fully restored by 5:30 a.m., utility company Enedis said.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi condemned the incident on social media, calling it a "malicious act" and vowing to bolster security around the city’s electrical infrastructure. Deputy Mayor Gaël Nofri said the fire was "probably of criminal origin." An investigation into "organized arson" has been opened, according to the local prosecutor’s office.
The incident followed another major blackout on Saturday that left 160,000 homes without power in Cannes and nearby areas, including during the final day of the Cannes Film Festival. Officials attributed that outage to a suspected arson attack on a substation in the village of Tanneron, along with the deliberate cutting of three high-voltage power line pylons in Villeneuve-Loubet.
Cannes Mayor David Lisnard called the incident a "targeted criminal act," while festival organizers switched to backup generators to ensure screenings and the closing ceremony proceeded as scheduled.
Though no direct link has been established between the two outages, authorities are investigating. Two anarchist groups have claimed responsibility, stating they targeted infrastructure to disrupt the festival and nearby industrial and military sites.
The Alpes-Maritimes regional government condemned the attacks, with Prefect Laurent Hottiaux denouncing "these serious acts of damage in the strongest terms." Prosecutors are reviewing surveillance footage and other evidence to determine responsibility.