Home / Crime and Justice / Tennessean Pleads Guilty to Plotting Devastating Energy Attack
Tennessean Pleads Guilty to Plotting Devastating Energy Attack
9 Sep
Summary
- Skyler Philippi planned attack on Nashville's energy infrastructure
- Acquired explosives and equipped drone to target electrical substation
- Motivated by violent ideology, wanted "to do something big"
On September 9, 2025, Skyler Philippi, a resident of Columbia, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility. This comes after months of planning what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville's energy infrastructure.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, Philippi had acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target, and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation. Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi had wanted "to do something big." However, the FBI was able to disrupt his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing on January 8th, facing up to life in prison.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg stated, "For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville's energy infrastructure. He acquired what he believed to be explosives, surveilled his target, and equipped a drone to attack an electrical substation. Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi wanted 'to do something big.' Instead, the FBI disrupted his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing."
