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Finance

German power grid under fresh sabotage attack, police say

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on September 2, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: September 2, 2026

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German Power Grid Under Investigation After Second Sabotage Attempt Near Bergheim

Investigation and Impact of Recent Sabotage Attempts on Germany's Electricity Grid

Details of the Latest Sabotage Attempt Near Bergheim

FRANKFURT, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Germany faced a second sabotage attempt on its electricity grid, with local police saying on Wednesday they are investigating an attack on a substation near the western city of Bergheim. 

A police spokesperson said they are investigating an act of premeditated vandalism on the technical infrastructure at 4:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Tuesday but added that the region's power supply was unaffected. 

The spokesperson would not specify the damage.

Concurrent Incidents in Other Regions

Also on Tuesday, devices carrying conductive material damaged power lines in the eastern state of Brandenburg. 

Response from Grid Operators and Utilities

Amprion's Statement on Grid Stability

Electricity grid operator Amprion said in a statement that external interference was likely behind the incident in western Germany and that power supply and grid stability were upheld throughout.

RWE's Actions and Plant Status

Power utility RWE said in a separate statement the incident prompted it to take lignite power plant units with 4,200 megawatts in combined capacity off the grid.

It added that the affected units in Neurath and Niederaussem would reconnect to the grid over the next few days and that it was in close contact with authorities and with Amprion.

Broader Security Concerns and Previous Incidents

Heightened Alert for Infrastructure Attacks

German authorities are on high alert for attacks on vital infrastructure.

Recent International Tensions

Berlin on Tuesday blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle airport last month and ordered a series of measures in response.

History of Attacks on the German Electricity Grid

Germany's electricity grid has been hit by attacks before, including by suspected left-wing militants.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger, editing by Tom Hogue and Thomas Seythal)

Key Takeaways

  • A substation near Bergheim was targeted in a deliberate act of vandalism at approximately 18:00 GMT on September 1, though power supply remained intact (internazionale.it).
  • In Brandenburg near Jänschwalde, attackers used rockets carrying conductive material to induce short circuits in high-voltage lines; backup systems prevented outages despite visible fires (tagesschau.de).
  • These incidents unfold amid an elevated frequency of sabotage across Germany—321 suspected cases recorded in 2025—and follow prior arson attacks, prompting legislative efforts to bolster critical infrastructure protection (tagesschau.de).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened in the latest German power grid sabotage attempt?
Police are investigating premeditated vandalism at a substation near Bergheim, Germany, as a suspected sabotage attack on the electricity grid.
Was the power supply in Germany affected by the sabotage?
No, the power supply and grid stability were maintained and not affected despite the attack.
Who is responsible for investigating the sabotage incident?
Local police and grid operator Amprion are investigating the attack, with support from power utility RWE.
Have there been previous attacks on Germany's electricity grid?
Yes, there have been previous attacks, including incidents allegedly involving left-wing militants.
What actions are German authorities taking in response to these attacks?
Authorities are on high alert and working closely with energy providers to secure critical infrastructure.

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