The German Press Agency has obtained a report from the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district office. In it, they found that more than 3,100 applications from people who were forced to stay in hotels due to the power outage were processed. Reimbursement payments were made in over 2,900 cases, the average payout was between €52 and €55 per person per night.
According to the report, 129 applications were rejected, this was the case when the overnight stays fell outside the relevant period or did not take place in commercial accommodations such as hotels or guesthouses. In 54 cases, applicants withdrew their requests.
According to Tim Richter (CDU), the district councillor, new applications are still being processed. He spoke very positively of the aid program, “This is the first time this has been implemented on this scale and at this speed in Berlin.”
Due to an arson attack on a cable bridge on January 3, allegedly perpetrated by left-wing extremists, 100,000 people in 45,000 households and more than 2,000 businesses in southwest Berlin were without power, and often without heating, for several days. Power was restored to everyone on January 7.
