German utility discovers sabotage devices near high-voltage lines ahead of state election
RWE reported finding launch devices near a transformer station south of Düsseldorf, marking a third suspected grid sabotage incident in Germany this week as the Saxony-Anhalt state election approaches.
Utility RWE said on Friday that launch devices were discovered near high-voltage lines and a transformer station south of Düsseldorf, prompting heightened security measures in coordination with grid operator Amprion and authorities. The company said its operations were not affected.
The incident follows two other suspected sabotage attempts earlier in the week, including one in Bergheim that temporarily took 4,200 megawatts of generating capacity offline, and another in Brandenburg where devices damaged a critical high-voltage node. Police in Ganderkesee near Bremen also reported an opened control enclosure at a transformer station, though the facility remained undamaged.
Germany's Interior Ministry noted that the timing of the attacks coincides with the upcoming state election in Saxony-Anhalt, where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) leads in polls. A spokesperson for Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the number of foiled or unsuccessful attacks demonstrates the effectiveness of security measures.
Authorities are investigating a handwritten letter, reported by a newspaper, in which a man claimed responsibility for the Bergheim and Dormagen incidents, but police have not confirmed the claim. No further details have been released as investigations continue.