Anarchists Attempt to Sever Power to Semiconductor Plants in Isere, France
Source: Sansom
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A communique published July 26 on anarchist counter-information platforms describes an attempted sabotage of two high-voltage electricity pylons in Froges, Isere, France, that supply semiconductor manufacturers STMicroelectronics and Soitec. Actors sawed through the bases of both pylons in an attempt to collapse them and cause a power outage, but neither structure fell.
ANALYSIS
The communique, signed with the phrase "Water and Stars, Not Chips and Nuclear Power," was first posted to Sans Nom, a French-language anarchist blog, and mirrored to Act for Freedom Now on July 26. The actors stated they attacked two pylons on the high-voltage lines supplying the Froges substation in the Gresivaudan valley region. The substation provides electricity to STMicroelectronics and Soitec, two major semiconductor manufacturers. The attackers used a saw to compromise the structural bases of both pylons. Despite their efforts, neither pylon fell, and no power outage was reported.
STMicroelectronics is a publicly traded multinational with substantial US business operations and supplies chips to the automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics sectors. Soitec is a French semiconductor materials company that manufactures silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers used by chipmakers globally, including US-based manufacturers. A successful attack on the Froges substation would have disrupted production at both facilities and potentially caused cascading effects upstream in the semiconductor supply chain.
The communique explicitly frames the attack as part of a broader struggle against the "techno-industrial system," and expresses solidarity with demonstrations in Grenoble opposing semiconductor expansion. The tactical decision to saw through pylon bases rather than use incendiaries reflects operational caution and an understanding of infrastructure vulnerability. Although the attack failed this time, the willingness to attempt pylon collapse is a step-change from property vandalism and warrants monitoring for follow-on attempts.
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