BERLIN (AP) — Two incidents that disrupted power distribution systems in the west and east of Germany are being investigated as possible sabotage, authorities said Wednesday, while one of them was also being examined for possible terrorism links.
Multiple explosive devices were found Tuesday morning at a substation near the Jänschwalde coal-fired power plant in Brandenburg in northeast Germany. No general power outage resulted, but only one of the devices caused short circuits, authorities said.
Brandenburg police said later on Wednesday on X that it had also launched an investigation into the formation of a terrorist organization “in conjunction with causing an explosion involving explosives and the destruction of important work equipment.”
The interior minister of Brandenburg state said that “at this time, we cannot rule out any perpetrators.”
“What we are currently experiencing is a hybrid threat, and in that regard, we cannot rule out the possibility that foreign powers are behind it,” Brandenburg Interior Minister Jan Redmann told public broadcaster ARD.
Germany is on high alert after the government on Tuesday blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4 using a drone laden with explosives.
Emergency responders were on the scene Wednesday searching the area for additional evidence, police said, leading to some road closures. Investigators were combing through the area in large groups, searching the ground for possible clues.
Officials described the explosive devices as similar to fireworks, saying that only one of more than a dozen “rocketlike objects equipped with a propellant charge” reached its target. One projectile managed to carry a cable into the high-voltage power line to establish a conductive connection to the ground, the German news agency dpa reported.
In a separate incident, a short circuit that caused several power lines to go out of service Tuesday evening at the Bergheim power substation near Cologne in western Germany was a deliberate act, security officials said Wednesday, adding there was no general power outage.
RWE, the company operating coal power plants at the Bergheim substation, said five coal-fired units with a combined capacity of 4,200 megawatts were taken offline after the incident.
“It wasn’t a broken switch, it was intentional. It was a criminal act,” said Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state, where Bergheim is located. “We are investigating two possibilities: sabotage directed by a foreign government and left-wing extremism. We cannot rule out either possibility at this time.”
“There were bright flashes of light visible along the power lines, the overhead wires. In German, that’s called a short circuit. Several lines were affected,” Reul told reporters Tuesday night.
He added that based on the investigation's current status, “the perpetrators deliberately caused a short circuit by placing conductive material — presumably cables — over the overhead line.”
Security officials from both regions were in contact and closely checking for possible connections between the Brandenburg and Bergheim incidents, Reul said.
“Is this connected to Brandenburg, to the attacks on the railways, to hybrid threats from abroad?” Reul said in response to a question. “The answer is: We are investigating, and very thoroughly at that. But investigating is not the same as knowing, and speculation is not proof.”
Three power plants are expected to go back online later on Wednesday. Work is underway to bring the two remaining units back online by the weekend.
German power infrastructure has previously been affected under similar circumstances. Suspected left-wing extremists set fire to high-voltage lines near a power plant in southwest Berlin in January.
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Ciobanu reported from Warsaw.
A police helicopter is circling above the Amprion substation in Bergheim, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Henning Kaiser/dpa via AP)
A police vehicle is blocking a road leading to the Jänschwalde power plant in Turnow-Preilack, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Michael Ukas/dpa via AP)
Water vapor rises from the cooling towers at the Jänschwalde power plant in Turnow-Preilack, Germany, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Frank Hammerschmidt/dpa via AP)
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 2, 2026--
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation (NYSE: ZWS) announced today it was named one of America’s Greatest Companies 2026.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260902390353/en/
The annual ranking, developed by Newsweek in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, recognizes 650 U.S. companies demonstrating strong performance in financial leadership, innovation, workforce excellence and sustainability. Zurn Elkay earned the recognition in its first appearance on the America’s Greatest Companies list and was one of only nine Wisconsin-headquartered companies included in the 2026 ranking.
“We are honored to be recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Greatest Companies,” said Todd A. Adams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zurn Elkay Water Solutions. “This recognition reflects the strength of our culture, the innovation that drives our growth and our commitment to creating sustainable value for associates, customers, shareholders and the communities we serve. We remain focused on executing our strategy, delivering meaningful impact and building an even stronger company for the future.”
America’s Greatest Companies 2026 was developed by Newsweek in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group to provide a comprehensive assessment of corporate performance. Zurn Elkay has been included in several Newsweek lists, such as America’s Most Responsible Companies (2022-26), America’s Greenest Companies (2025-26) and World’s Greenest Companies (2026). To learn more about Zurn Elkay Water Solutions and its sustainability efforts, including the company’s most recent sustainability report, visit zurnelkay.com/sustainability.
About Zurn Elkay Water Solutions
Named one of America’s Greatest Companies and America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek and one of America’s Best Companies and the World’s Best Companies for Sustainable Growth by TIME, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a growth-oriented, pure-play water management business that designs, procures, manufactures and markets what we believe to be the broadest sustainable product portfolio of specification-driven water management solutions to improve health, hydration, human safety and the environment. The Zurn Elkay product portfolio includes professional grade water safety and control products, flow systems products, hygienic and environmental products, water heating and filtered drinking water products for public and private spaces. Learn more at zurnelkay.com.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements
Information in this release may involve outlook, expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, strategies or other statements regarding the future, which are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to Zurn Elkay Water Solutions as of the date of this release, and Zurn Elkay Water Solutions assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. The statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results could differ materially from current expectations. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences. Please refer to “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in our report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2025, as well as the Company’s subsequent annual, quarterly and current reports filed on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of the factors and risks associated with the business.
America’s Greatest Companies 2026 was developed by Newsweek in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group to provide a comprehensive assessment of corporate performance. Zurn Elkay has been included in several Newsweek lists, such as America’s Most Responsible Companies (2022-26), America’s Greenest Companies (2025-26) and World’s Greenest Companies (2026). To learn more about Zurn Elkay Water Solutions and its sustainability efforts, including the company’s most recent sustainability report, visit zurnelkay.com/sustainability.
“We are honored to be recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Greatest Companies,” said Todd A. Adams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zurn Elkay Water Solutions, on the company's inclusion in Newsweek's list of America's Greatest Companies 2026. "This recognition reflects the strength of our culture, the innovation that drives our growth and our commitment to creating sustainable value for associates, customers, shareholders and the communities we serve. We remain focused on executing our strategy, delivering meaningful impact and building an even stronger company for the future.”
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corporation announced it was named one of America’s Greatest Companies 2026. The annual ranking, developed by Newsweek in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, recognizes 650 U.S. companies demonstrating strong performance in financial leadership, innovation, workforce excellence and sustainability. Zurn Elkay earned the recognition in its first appearance on the America’s Greatest Companies list and was one of only nine Wisconsin-headquartered companies included in the 2026 ranking.
