A suspected sabotage at Amprion's high-voltage substation in Bergheim forced RWE Power to disconnect five coal-fired blocks, removing 4,200 MW of installed capacity and roughly 3,000 MW of generation from the German electricity grid.
What happened
Police reported a short-circuit at the Bergheim substation on the night of 1 Sept 2026, which RWE described as a likely deliberate act. The next morning, RWE announced that the five affected blocks in the Rheinisches Revier were taken offline, citing a total capacity of 4.2 GW and an instantaneous loss of about 3 GW of generation. Handelsblatt provided the figures.
Impact on the grid
The sudden removal of roughly 3 GW of generation represents a significant share of Germany's coal-fired output, temporarily tightening supply in a market already under pressure from low-carbon transition goals. Energy traders are likely to reassess short-term price signals as the grid operator balances the shortfall.
Political response
Interior Minister Nancy Reul publicly characterised the incident as a targeted act, underscoring the criminal nature of the sabotage. She called for a swift investigation and highlighted the need to reinforce the security of critical energy infrastructure.
Outlook
RWE expects the blocks to remain offline for several days, describing the downtime as "tagelang". Restoration work is under way, but the episode raises questions about the resilience of Germany's transmission network and may prompt tighter security measures.
Timeline
- Night of 1 Sept 2026, short-circuit / suspected sabotage at Amprion Bergheim substation.
- Early morning 2 Sept 2026, RWE announces five blocks taken offline, citing 4.2 GW capacity and ~3 GW generation lost.
- 2 Sept 2026, Interior Minister Nancy Reul states the incident appears to be a targeted act.
- Following days, RWE works to restore the blocks; downtime expected to span several days.