Salzburg strengthens security at critical infrastructure

Salzburg has increased security measures around critical infrastructure following drone incidents and attacks in Germany, ORF reported. The regional energy provider Salzburg AG has stepped up checks on its network.

Another suspected sabotage attempt took place near a substation in North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday evening. Devices for launching pyrotechnic objects were found, and police are searching for the suspected perpetrator. German police expect further attempts to sabotage the energy supply.

Christina Staude, managing director of Salzburg Netz GmbH, said the company had increased monitoring but could not guarantee complete security. Salzburg’s electricity network includes 19,000 kilometres of lines, 29 substations and more than 5,000 transformer stations. Its entire high-voltage network is designed to meet the N-1 security standard, allowing supply to be rerouted if part of the network fails. The company has also invested in cybersecurity.

Salzburg’s fire brigades are prepared for power cuts, according to state fire chief Günter Trinker. Almost all fire stations were equipped with generators in 2017 and 2018, meaning that in most municipalities they can operate as independent facilities during a blackout.

Austria’s federal railway operator ÖBB is also taking security measures to protect the rail network from possible attacks. A law on the resilience of critical facilities has been in force since March. It imposes specific obligations on hospitals, power plants and food suppliers, including regular risk assessments, resilience measures and the reporting of security incidents.

Salzburg Airport is also considered critical infrastructure. In the event of a suspected drone incident, police and airspace authority Austro Control are responsible for protection, with support from the Austrian armed forces available if needed. The airport does not have permanently stationed drone-defence equipment.

The armed forces have observed more suspicious activity around military facilities since Russia began its war against Ukraine. Drones have repeatedly been spotted near Schwarzenberg Barracks, which houses the Air Force Command. The armed forces said there was no reason for concern at present.