German authorities said an attempt was made to short-circuit a transformer in the power distribution network south of Duesseldorf in western Germany, Reuters reported, citing the newspaper “Bild“, BTA writes.
The case heightens security concerns after two more alleged sabotage attempts were recorded this week.
Police have received a letter claiming responsibility for both the incident in Dormagen and the vandalism at a substation in the nearby town of Bergheim. The failure on Tuesday shut down power plants with a total capacity of 4,200 megawatts.
„Bild“ reports that the letter was from a man, was handwritten and the man also indicated his identity in it. However, it is not clear whether he was the direct perpetrator.
Germany this week found itself at the center of discussions at the European level about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Germany's allies have rallied behind it after Berlin accused Moscow of carrying out an explosives-laden drone attack at Leipzig/Halle airport in August, saying it was part of a hybrid war aimed at intimidating and dividing countries supporting Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia has dismissed the accusations as baseless.
Cologne police, which are responsible for the area, told Reuters they were aware of a letter claiming responsibility for the incident but declined to provide further details while the investigation continues.
In another suspected sabotage attack this week, devices containing conductive material damaged power lines at a key node of the high-voltage grid in the eastern state of Brandenburg.
Meanwhile, the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt is holding high-profile elections on Sunday. The far-right and pro-Russian Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has a clear lead in opinion polls there.
The German Interior Ministry said it was "no coincidence" that such "hybrid attacks" were taking place on the eve of the election.
A spokesman for Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the number of prevented or failed attacks was "a sign that our security measures have worked and are really working now."
Meanwhile, police reported another case today in which the area of a transformer station in the northern town of Ganderkesee was cordoned off due to "suspicious circumstances," Bild and other local media reported. Reuters was unable to reach the police for comment on the cases.