DistantNews
Support us
🇩🇪 Germany /Energy & Infrastructure

Sabotage: Bavaria’s Greens call for stronger protection of critical infrastructure

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Under investigation
  • Bavaria’s Green lawmakers want authorities to inspect vulnerable substations and power plants and conduct more exercises for widespread blackouts.
  • They are also seeking a parliamentary hearing with energy infrastructure operators and suppliers about support for resilience and emergency protection.
  • The demands follow two suspected acts of anti-constitutional sabotage targeting electricity facilities in Brandenburg and near Cologne.

Bavaria’s Greens are calling for stronger protection of critical infrastructure after two attacks disrupted or threatened electricity facilities elsewhere in Germany. They want particularly important substations, large power plants and associated switching equipment checked as a precaution.

The parliamentary group is also demanding more exercises for large-scale power outages and a hearing in the state parliament’s interior committee. Operators and energy suppliers would be asked to explain what support they need to improve resilience and prevent attacks.

“Bavaria must protect its critical infrastructure before someone strikes again,” said Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Schulze. She described the hybrid threat from Russia as real and said the number of attacks was increasing at an alarming rate. She called for the state government, security authorities and operators to identify facilities that face particular risks, especially before autumn and winter.

Bavaria must protect its critical infrastructure before someone strikes again.

· Katharina SchulzeThe Bavarian Greens’ parliamentary leader called for preventive protection after attacks on electricity facilities.

“If it becomes dark and cold, our supply must remain secure,” Schulze said. The Greens argue that cooperation between operators and authorities on sensitive operating procedures has so far taken place only sporadically, citing responses from the Interior Ministry to a state parliamentary inquiry. Interior policy spokesman Florian Siekmann said the ministry repeatedly leaves protection and redundancy plans to operators, but should actively support them.

The demands followed two incidents on Tuesday. Near a substation in Brandenburg, unknown attackers allegedly used homemade devices resembling fireworks to direct conductive material toward high-voltage lines. Later that evening, an incident at a substation in Bergheim near Cologne involved cables placed over an overhead line, causing a short circuit, according to the state government there. Investigators suspect anti-constitutional sabotage in both cases.

If it becomes dark and cold, our supply must remain secure.

· Katharina SchulzeShe stressed the need to secure energy supplies ahead of autumn and winter.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog