A widespread power outage struck central Stockholm on Monday evening. The blackout affected large parts of eastern Södermalm and the Old Town district. Darkness enveloped areas around Medborgarplatsen shortly after 7 PM. Traffic lights stopped working across the affected neighborhoods.
Emergency crews are assessing the situation on the ground. Jonatan Björck, Ellevio's press communicator, said in a statement that the cause remains unknown. He noted they cannot provide restoration timelines at this stage.
The outage coincides with a planned update to Ellevio's outage communication service. This timing complicates information delivery to affected residents. Björck acknowledged this combination of events is unprecedented in their experience.
Södermalm is one of Stockholm's most densely populated districts. The Old Town contains many historic buildings and tourist attractions. The timing during evening hours means many residents are home preparing dinner and evening routines.
Power company Ellevio serves approximately 960,000 customers across central Sweden. Their communication system upgrade was scheduled before the outage occurred. The coincidence creates practical challenges for both the utility and affected Stockholmers.
This situation highlights infrastructure vulnerabilities in major Nordic cities. Even developed nations face unexpected service disruptions that impact daily life significantly.