Full Breakdown
German Police Defuse Dozens of Explosive Devices Amid Wave of Power-Grid Sabotage
9/7/2026, 9:20:03 PM
Recent Explosive Discoveries Targeting High-Voltage Lines
Prosecutors in Saxony announced that 21 explosive devices have been located and safely defused near high-voltage lines, including a cluster of twelve homemade charges in Saxony and additional finds near the Graustein substation in the Goerlitz district. Specialist units neutralised the devices; no damage to the grid or danger to the public was reported.
Background to the Sabotage Wave
The discoveries follow earlier incidents that have kept authorities on alert: an arson attack in Berlin that caused a blackout, a summer fire at a Reutlingen substation, a drone strike on Leipzig/Halle infrastructure attributed to Russia, and recent attacks that knocked coal-fired units offline. These events highlight the vulnerability of Germany’s energy infrastructure.
Suspect and Ongoing Manhunt
Police are searching for a 48-year-old man who sent letters to media outlets claiming responsibility and describing the motive as “climate terrorism.” Explosives were recovered during a raid on his apartment in Gevelsberg, and a converted motorhome was found near Niederzier, but the suspect remains at large. The investigation proceeds on suspicion of attempted sabotage of public services and anti-constitutional activity.
Official Responses
- Prosecutors in Saxony confirmed the number of devices and said the power supply remained uninterrupted.
- Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the case “climate extremism,” linking it to opposition against fossil-fuel energy.
- Police Commissioner Barbara Slowik Meisel clarified that a fire affecting a construction site and a substation in Berlin’s Moabit district was caused by a technical fault, not arson.
- Local police in Ganderkesee and other towns reported cordoning off transformer stations, stressing no immediate danger to residents.
Data & Statistics
- 21 explosive devices discovered (12 in Saxony, 9 near Graustein).
- Composition: all homemade, intended to create short circuits on high-voltage lines.
- Impact: sabotage in Bergheim forced lignite-fired units with a combined capacity of 4,200 MW to temporarily leave the grid.
- Geographic spread: incidents in Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia (Dormagen, Bergheim), Brandenburg, and Aachen.
What’s Next
Authorities continue to search for the suspect and expand forensic examinations of the recovered devices. Investigations target additional transformer stations where security fences have been tampered with, and police have launched assessment operations in Wesel after a fence breach was reported. No specific deadlines have been announced, but the effort remains focused on preventing further disruptions to Germany’s power infrastructure.
