RWE units offline after German grid incidents

RWE (RWEd) disconnected five lignite-fired power units with a combined capacity of 4,200 megawatts from the German power grid after separate disruptions to electricity infrastructure. The units are located at the Neurath and Niederaussem coal plants, two of Germany’s major lignite generation sites.

The company described the step as a temporary measure and said it expects the affected units to be reconnected to the grid over the next few days. The move removed a sizeable block of thermal generation from the system while authorities and engineers addressed the incidents.

Authorities reported two distinct events affecting grid infrastructure in different parts of the country. Near the Jänschwalde power plant in Brandenburg, devices carrying conductive material were found that had damaged power lines. This physical interference with overhead lines prompted security and technical responses in the region.

On the same day, a short circuit occurred at the Bergheim substation near Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia. Police characterised this short circuit as appearing deliberate, indicating that it may not have been the result of normal technical failure.

Police and other relevant authorities have opened investigations into the events at both Jänschwalde and Bergheim. The focus of these probes is on determining who was responsible for placing devices on the power lines in Brandenburg and what caused the apparent deliberate short circuit at the Bergheim substation.

Officials are treating the cases as suspected deliberate interference with critical energy infrastructure. The investigations will seek to clarify whether there is any connection between the two incidents and to establish the circumstances that led to the damage and outages.

RWE stated that the five lignite units at Neurath and Niederaussem taken offline after the disruptions are expected to return to service within days. This timeframe suggests the company anticipates only short-term operational impacts from the events.

While the temporary shutdown reduces available lignite generation capacity, RWE’s indication of imminent reconnection provides visibility on the expected duration of the outage. Further details on any long-term security or infrastructure measures will depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigations.