Explosive devices found near Brandenburg power plant in eastern Germany
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Multiple explosive devices were discovered at the Preilack substation near the Janschwalde coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg, eastern Germany, on Tuesday morning. Police detected possible damage to a power line around 8am local time at the facility in Turnow-Preilack, approximately 100 kilometres from Berlin. Bomb disposal experts defused several improvised explosive and incendiary devices at the scene, which were designed to launch explosive-laden projectiles . The grid operator 50Hertz confirmed the power supply was not interrupted despite the incident, and police reported no danger to the public .
Key Points
- Location: Preilack substation in Turnow-Preilack, Brandenburg state, about 100km northeast of Berlin, adjacent to the Janschwalde coal-fired power plant
- Discovery: Several improvised explosive and incendiary devices designed to launch explosive-laden projectiles were found and defused
- Timing: Potential damage to a power line was detected at around 8am local time on Tuesday
- Impact: Grid operator 50Hertz stated power supply remained uninterrupted, with no immediate public danger
- Objective: The attack apparently aimed to trigger a widespread power outage affecting one of the power plant's units
Why It Matters
This incident follows a pattern of infrastructure sabotage targeting Germany's energy sector, including a January arson attack by suspected left-wing extremists that left 45,000 households without power for days, and a March 2024 attack on a power pylon serving Tesla's Grunheide factory that halted production . The targeting of critical energy infrastructure, even when unsuccessful, highlights the vulnerability of power grids to deliberate disruption and the ongoing threat from politically motivated groups.
This incident follows a pattern of infrastructure sabotage targeting Germany's energy sector, including a January arson attack by suspected left-wing extremists that left 45,000 households without power for days, and a March 2024 attack on a power pylon serving Tesla's Grunheide factory that halted production . The targeting of critical energy infrastructure, even when unsuccessful, highlights the vulnerability of power grids to deliberate disruption and the ongoing threat from politically motivated groups.