I submit this for the technical advice in response to the publication from the 70’s
Grand Est,France : sabotage of an EHV pylon, some technical advice
Communique #2: Sabotage of an extra-high voltage pylon in France/
Grand Est
Indymedia Lille, February 12, 2023
In December 2022, in solidarity with the hunger-striking prisoner Alfredo Cospito, we sabotaged an EHV pylon and partially removed its bolts (https://actforfree.noblogs.org/post/2022/12/27/france-grand-est-attack-against-nuclear-infrastructure-in-solidarity-with-alfredo-cospito/). The sabotage of a high voltage line is not without risk and, even if it is done without error, there is always some risk. However, we found this risk acceptable and the action entertaining. Since direct action is always an attempt to motivate and inspire other contexts, we had already announced our intention to give some technical advice:
Choice of target: When choosing the mast, make sure that the insulators (the ceramic coils to which the cables are attached) are vertical! A diagonal or horizontal position indicates a tensile load in the corresponding direction. Choose the most isolated location possible. Make sure that there are no people between the object and the nearest pylons (e.g. busy roads crossing the line). Choose your escape route so that it cannot be blocked by the falling line.
Risk assessment/mitigation: It happens occasionally (although rarely) that electricity pylons bend or fall, even without sabotage. This can happen, for example, due to storms, the weight of snow, or simply material fatigue or inadequate maintenance. The result is a risk of premature collapse of the mast. This risk increases with each 
screw loosened and exponentially with each foot completely unscrewed. It is up to you, as a group, to decide how far you want to go. In all cases, plan the action taking into account the possibility of the mast falling while you are still there. Both at the base of the mast and where the cables touch the ground, there is a potentially lethal amounts of electricity on the ground within a certain radius! Move away from the object as quickly as possible in the opposite direction of the fall. Ensure that your body remains in contact with the ground at all times (grounding), walking with small “shuffling” steps. Make sure that the weather conditions are favorable. Do not perform this action in strong wind, heavy rain or snowfall!
How to proceed: During the reconnaissance of the target, we noticed with some annoyance that the threads of each screw were destroyed by drillings (photo). An anti-sabotage measure of RTE, which we do not know if it applies to all EHV lines or only to this one. In retrospect, we can see that it is certainly more tiring, but that it is still possible. For the screws, we concentrated on the ones that connect the mast to its foundations (50 mm key). On the inside, a short handle of about 20-30 cm is enough, as it otherwise gets stuck in the structure of the foot. On the outside, you will need a strong tube extension to increase leverage. For ease of transport, it is recommended to use several tubes that fit into each other. For some screws, we needed up to 2 meters of leverage. Before the actual action, we sprayed the screws with penetrating oil (WD 40) and let it work for several hours. We repeated this process at the beginning of the unscrewing. The last few screws were significantly more difficult to remove, which we interpreted as a sign that the mast was already starting to sag. For this action, you will need at least 2 to 3 people. You can count on about 3 hours per foot (16 screws each). If you find a pole with undamaged bolts, it will probably go faster.
Traces: It is almost impossible to work for several hours in the same place without leaving many traces! Check regularly during the work if your body is still completely covered (e.g. between sleeve and glove). In any case, get rid of your clothes and shoes after the action. Keep your workplace clean and store your tools in such a way that you do not leave anything behind inadvertently, even if you have to stop the work before it is finished.
Alternatives: since our intervention, other actions of sabotage of high voltage lines have taken place in France. In Salindres (Gard), a pylon whose line feeds an ARKEMA chemical plant was sawn down on 21.12.2022 (https://actforfree.noblogs.org/post/2023/01/02/salindres-gardfrance-sabotage-of-an-electric-pylon-which-supplies-the-chemical-center-of-arkema/) and in Vitrolles (Bouches du Rhône), a few days later, two fires under an EHV line caused power cuts at the Marseille-Provence airport and at AIRBUS Helicopters (https://actforfree.noblogs.org/post/2023/01/01/vitrolles-bouches-du-rhonefrance-the-sabotage-of-high-voltage-lines-cuts-power-to-the-airport-of-marseille-and-airbus/).
“These arsonists have also put an end to the rumor that a burning electric pole is beautiful, but it does not cut off the electricity!” reads a summary published on nantes.indymedia (https://nantes.indymedia.org/posts/81876/et-tombent-tombent-les-pylones/) of the action, for which there is no communique to our knowledge. We would like to dwell on it a bit: in our view, there are basically two different methods to effectively sabotage an EHV line by fire. The first is to attack the mast itself by fire. For this, the metal structure must be heated to more than 1200° C for a certain time. A normal fire is not enough! In order to damage the steel in its substance, it must be brought to incandescence, as is the case when forging with charcoal and a huge supply of oxygen. Once heated in this way, the stability of the steel remains compromised even after it cools. This is what happened, for example, during a very-high-voltage sabotage in the southern Meuse region in 2017. To liquefy the metal and thus make the pylon collapse, a temperature of about 5000° C is required, as would be the case for example with the use of thermite. The other method, which was probably used in the present case, is to generate an extremely high flame, which goes from the ground to the cables. The fire has the property of conducting electricity and can thus cause a short circuit. This results in an immediate power failure, but the damage to the structure is relatively small.
We were particularly pleased with the detailed description of the action in Salindres (Gard), attached to the communique. Although this method has been used successfully hundreds of times since the 1970s, we opted for another method for safety reasons. In other words, we simply did not dare to pull down the mast! We are fully aware that the communique we issued early on increases the risk that the damage will be discovered and repaired in time by RTE. However, the priority of our intervention was – in this case – to support the struggle of our comrade Alfredo, which required public communication.
Rage,
Transmissions and
Riots
Pylon Disconnection Service of all kinds.
From Act For Freedom Now
Balan (Ain), eastern France : Sabotage at the petrochemical plant
Balan (Ain): Sabotage at the petrochemical plant
Code name: Operation cold sweat
Objective : Paralyze the petrochemical plants in Balan (Ain)
Location: South-east of Dombes, 3.5 km from the plants
Action window: Rising moon, last week of May 2023
Method used: Sawing and then knocking down a pylon of the high-voltage line (63 kv) supplying the target site.
Anticipated risks :
– Dangers associated with this type of sabotage action (consult manuals for details).
– Plants classified as SVESO (industrial risk): any power cut triggers an automatic shutdown and the intervention of firefighters stationed on site.
– Close to the Gendarmerie and the Valbonne military base.
Additional difficulties :
– Action subject to favorable weather conditions (clear nights, low humidity, absence of strong winds)
– Dropping the pylon onto the cables of the parallel line (the Balan site is supplied by a 63 kv double line)
distance between lines = 16 metres
tower height = 23 metres
Equipment: hacksaws, blades, improvised ram to bring down the pylon
Sequence of events: After making the cuts with the handsaws, the team tackled the tricky and noisier phase. Numerous blows of the ram were necessary to finally bring down the pylon. We were able to withdraw from the scene of the action unhindered.
Of note: The ecstatic joy we felt when the pylon fell.
Further comments: Eternal pollutants from polymer production. Continents of plastic floating in the oceans, decimating marine life. Entire territories condemned to serve as open-air garbage dumps. Cancers and diseases caused by the pollution generated by petrochemical processes. This is the face of the world resulting from the rise of petrochemicals and globalized industrial society.
For the beauty and splendor of the living, for wild nature and an autonomous, self-determined life!
[Found on Indymedia Lille, September 1, 2023]
via:sansnom
Translated by Act for freedom now!
Motte-Servolex (Savoie): Another downed electricity pylon! (France)
Motte-Servolex (Savoie): Another downed electricity pylon!
On the night of June 25 to 26, we sawed off the legs of a 225kV 
electricity pylon in the vicinity of La Motte-Servolex, on the outskirts of Chambery.
We followed the protocol described in Claim for the sabotage of an electric pylon, which we reproduce below:
1) Saw the transversal bars.
Note: These are the bars that connect the legs together.
2) Saw with oblique cuts on the two legs in the direction of the fall.
Note: The pylon must fall perpendicular to the cables.
3) Saw with straight cuts on the same two legs about 30 cm above the previous cuts.
Note: Saw all the way to the end to have a fully detachable piece.
4) Strike the sawn pieces still held in place by the gravity of the pylon with a battering ram.
Note: a small tree trunk can be used
5) While the pylon is falling, move away with small steps in the opposite direction.
Note: hacksaws and oil are sufficient to perform this action.
A few more comments:
There’s no point in rushing: if you’ve chosen your spot carefully, you’ve got the whole night ahead of you! The cleaner the cuts, the easier it is to work with the ram. Count on one, two or three hours, depending on the pylon and how many of you there are. And a dozen or so saw blades (not all tooth qualities and sizes are created equal!).
Having someone to keep an eye on the structure’s movements during the final saw strokes can be reassuring, as can having bleach on hand to clean up the work areas before the final assault (the battering ram).
The moment of the fall is certainly impressive, but we emerged unscathed, like dozens of saboteurs before us!
And a little tune to hum in your head, to keep the rhythm and give you courage…
… And if we all saw, it will fall
It can’t go on like this
It’s got to fall, fall, fall
See how it’s already leaning
If I saw hard, it has to move
And if you saw by my side
It’s bound to fall, fall, fall
And we’ll have freedom.
Let the attacks against the encaging of this world fly like sparks, and thank you to those who inspire us, by their actions or words!
[Note of translator: For a similar method with more details, see Insurrection Magazine #4, page 26]
via: sansnom.translated by Act for freedom now!
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