On 2026-09-01, two incidents disrupted power distribution systems in western and eastern Germany: multiple explosive devices were found at a substation near the Jänschwalde coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg, and a short circuit took power lines out at the Bergheim substation near Cologne. ^[1] A spokesman for the Essen police said on 2026-09-01 that the investigation into the short circuit at the Amprion substation in Bergheim, Rhein-Erft-Kreis, points to an intentional act, a crime, rather than a technical defect, though the motive and the tool used remain unknown. ^[2] Brandenburg Interior Minister Jan Redmann said on 2026-09-01 that authorities cannot rule out any perpetrators and that foreign powers may be behind the incidents, calling it a hybrid threat, according to dpa. ^[3] Essen police said on 2026-09-01 that the Bergheim substation outage was not a technical defect but a deliberate act and a crime, according to German press agency dpa. ^[4] The German government on 2026-09-01 blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 2026-08-04 using a drone laden with explosives. ^[5] According to police findings, a short circuit at the Bergheim substation caused the failure of several power lines on 2026-09-01, but the general electricity supply was not affected. ^[6] On the morning of 2026-09-01, unknown persons attempted to cause short circuits on high-voltage lines near the Jänschwalde coal power plant in Brandenburg, succeeding in two cases, according to authorities, who are investigating on suspicion of sabotage. ^[7] The Essen police have taken over the investigation of the Bergheim substation incident. ^[8]