Improvised explosive devices found near German power plant, police say

Published on 01/09/2026 - 14:05 GMT+2•Updated 14:34 Several improvised explosive devices were found at a substation near a coal-fired power plant in Germany on Tuesday and several power lines were damaged, police and a grid operator said. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Operator 50Hertz said there was a "brief interruption of service" but all lines are now back in operation at the Preilack substation, which distributes power from the nearby Jänschwalde power plant. Police said no one was hurt. The apparent aim was to trigger a large-scale power outage in the area around the nearby coal-fired power plant. According to initial findings, however, this did not happen. The Cottbus police directorate stated that the police headquarters in Potsdam had taken over communications regarding the incident. The Brandenburg Interior Ministry also referred enquiries there. There was initially no official statement from the police or from the grid operator 50Hertz, which runs the substation. The Turnow/Preilack substation is located in the municipality of Turnow-Preilack in the Spree-Neiße district of Brandenburg. The facility is an important hub in the Lausitz power grid and is connected to the nearby Jänschwalde coal-fired power plant. This is a developing story and our journalists are working on further updates.