On Sunday morning, several regions of Denmark experienced a series of power outages that affected the lives of citizens and basic services, extending from North Jutland to its east and south, amid questions about the real reasons for these outages, according to TV2.
Candlelit breakfast in a care home
The story began in the town of Syvsten, where home care provider Nicolaj Regel-Hansen, who runs a private home care company, was on his way to visit his first elderly resident of the day. He sat down with the resident for breakfast, as they always did, before the power suddenly went out at 6:20 a.m., according to TV2.
Nikolai Riegel-Hansen told TV2 that they had to light candles and use flashlights, and finished their breakfast by candlelight in an unusual atmosphere.
A new outage is causing surprise in Sabi
Nicolai Regl-Hansen then left for the town of Sæby to visit another resident, but the power went out again shortly after he entered the town at around 7:00 AM. Laughingly, he told TV2 that he was beginning to think it was related to him personally. He added that he used his car's powerful headlights to illuminate the area, and the light was sufficient to temporarily light the resident's house, according to the source.
He later confirmed that the power had been restored, but expressed surprise that the outages had occurred independently of each other.
The electricity grid is under extreme cold pressure
Electricity network operator N1 told the Ritzau news agency that power had been restored to several towns in North Jutland, while repair work continued in the towns of Hammel and Langå, where 46 subscribers were affected, according to TV2.
N1's communications and media director, Frederik Gelstoft Schmidt, explained to TV2 that the severe cold wave caused an increase in electricity consumption, which put more pressure on the electrical grid, noting that the low temperatures may be a major factor in these outages.
Electricity restored to northern cities
Elinord announced on its website that power has been restored to the city of Saabey and parts of Frederikshavn. The company explained that the outage was caused by a fault in the 60 kV high-voltage network and apologized to residents for the inconvenience caused.
Emergency pharmacy systems malfunction
In a related development, TV2 Nord reported that emergency pharmacy systems across the country were down on Sunday morning. The Aalborg Budolfi Apotek pharmacy confirmed that its systems were down. The Association of Pharmacists (Apotekerforeningen) also confirmed to TV2 that there were technical problems, but noted that prescriptions continued to be dispensed despite the outages. The cause of the malfunction has not yet been determined, nor has it been confirmed that it was related to the power cuts.
Heat pumps shut down and citizens set fires
In East Jutland, Rasmus Touborg Rasmussen complained that the heat pump at his home near Langau had failed, although the lights remained on. He told TV2 that several neighboring houses were experiencing the same problem, and some were also without water. He described the situation as frustrating on a very cold morning, adding that he and his family had lit a fire in their garden to keep warm, and everyone had started putting on more layers.
Other cities affected by power outages
N1 also announced on its website that the towns of Hamel and Lango in East Jutland were affected by the power outage, stating that 46 subscribers were impacted, without yet knowing the cause. The company also confirmed to TV2 that 28 subscribers in Silkeborg experienced a similar outage, before power was restored after a faulty substation was replaced.
Unexpected water crisis in Greenstead
In the town of Grindsted in South Jutland, residents were without water for several hours on Sunday morning. GEV CEO René Heiselberg Gier told TV2 that the problem stemmed from a power outage at the water pumping station. He explained that the emergency generators, despite having been recently tested, did not function as expected. He added that the water supply was restored after the generators restarted, while three electricians continued investigating the cause of the outage, without confirming any connection to the power cuts in North Jutland.
Nighttime outage in Skif
N1 reported that the city of Skive experienced a power outage overnight that lasted for about two hours, with the power going out after midnight and returning around 2 a.m., while the reason remained unknown.
Traders and bakeries are affected
In Voerså, local shops like Min Købmand announced they were unable to open due to IT systems being down as a result of the power outage. A bakery in Østervrå was also affected, with its payment machines failing and customers forced to use mobile payments until power was restored at 7:00 AM.
Citizens recount moments of anxiety
Steffen Strøm, a resident of Säbe, told TV2 that the power was restored to his home during the phone call, explaining that the outage had been intermittent since the morning. He added that when he woke up around 7:30, he jokingly thought there might be an attack, before being reassured when the power returned. He also mentioned seeing candles lit in his neighbors' windows.
Official statements and ongoing investigations
Elenord confirmed in a text message posted on Facebook that it has not yet determined the cause of the outage, but is working to restore power as quickly as possible, and pledged to provide more information later, while apologizing for the inconvenience, according to TV2.
According to official data, the outages affected large areas of northern Jutland, including Saabey, Fredrikshavn and southern areas towards Lyngså, while electricity companies continue to investigate to determine the causes and prevent a recurrence of these outages.
