**Power Outages Disrupt Cannes Film Festival, Suspected Arson Investigated**
**More than 200,000 households in southern France experienced temporary power outages, raising concerns about disruptions to the Cannes Film Festival.**
On Saturday morning, around 160,000 homes in the Alpes-Maritimes region lost electricity around 10 AM, according to officials. Power was restored by approximately 3 PM local time, just hours before the festival’s closing ceremony, which proceeded without incident.
Authorities suspect arson as the cause of the outages, which followed a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes, resulting in a high-voltage power line collapse. Laurent Hottiaux, the local prefect, condemned the “serious acts of damage to electrical infrastructures” and vowed to utilize all available resources to identify and apprehend those responsible.
The situation escalated when anarchist groups claimed responsibility for the sabotage in an anonymous statement reported by local media. They stated, “On the eve of the Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony and gala evening, we sabotaged the main electrical substation supplying the Cannes metropolitan area and cut down the 225 kV line coming from Nice.”
While some events were affected early on Saturday, the Palais des Festivals, the main venue for the festival, managed to switch to an independent power supply. Organizers assured that all scheduled events, including the closing ceremony, would continue as planned.
In addition to the Cannes area, approximately 45,000 homes in Nice and nearby towns experienced outages due to a second power disruption overnight on Saturday. Power was restored by Sunday morning, but Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, attributed the incident to “malicious acts” and ordered police protection for sensitive electrical infrastructure.
The city’s airport and tram network were also impacted, with reports indicating that access to a transformer was forcibly breached.
As investigations continue, authorities are focused on ensuring the safety and reliability of electrical services in the region, especially during significant events like the Cannes Film Festival.
**FAQ**
**What caused the power outages in southern France during the Cannes Film Festival?**
The outages were likely caused by arson, following a fire at an electrical substation that led to the collapse of a high-voltage power line.
