During the time of the Clone Wars, a bombing incident transpired on Coruscant, the Republic capital. The target was the planet's central power distribution grid. This act of sabotage was masterminded by Count Dooku with the intention of sabotaging the ongoing peace initiative between the Republic and the Separatist Alliance. Acting upon instructions issued by General Grievous, a team of six Infiltrator demolition droids successfully infiltrated the power generator facility. These droids killed the engineers present and then initiated their self-destruct sequences. The resulting detonation caused widespread fires across Coruscant and led to power outages affecting significant portions of the city-planet. Following confirmation by the Republic Senate that the Separatists were responsible for the attack, the peace talks collapsed.
In the year 21 BBY, Senator Gume Saam introduced the Republic financial reform bill. This bill aimed to establish new lines of credit with the InterGalactic Banking Clan to facilitate the production of more clone troopers for the Grand Army of the Republic. However, Padmé Amidala, another Senator, suggested exploring negotiations with the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and Senator Bail Prestor Organa moved to postpone the vote until the matter could be further clarified.
Saam conferred with fellow supporters, Senators Lott Dod and Nix Card, regarding the vote. Saam proposed eliminating Amidala, but Card understood that the Senate would not deregulate the banks. Consequently, they decided to bring the war to Coruscant, exploiting the fact that it had remained untouched by attacks for over a millennium. They then reached out to the Confederacy's leader, Count Dooku. Dooku, acting under the direction of Darth Sidious, delegated the task of planning the attack to General Grievous.
Concurrently, Senator Amidala and Padawan Ahsoka Tano traveled to Raxus Secundus, the Confederacy's capital. There, they encountered Mina Bonteri, a Senator from Onderon, who informed them that the Separatist Senate was engaged in a similar debate. During a session at the Senate Building in Raxulon, the Senate, despite objections from Voe Atell, a Senator representing the Corporate Alliance, voted in favor of opening negotiations with the Galactic Republic with Dooku's backing.
Upon their return to Coruscant, Amidala and Tano briefed Chancellor Palpatine on the Confederacy's peace proposal. Subsequently, Saam, Card, and Dodd approached Dooku to express their concerns about the proposal's potential to undermine their bill. Dooku reassured them that their attack would eliminate any possibility of peace.
Grievous then deployed a squad of demolition droids. Grievous then assured Dooku and Card that the mission would be successful. Disguised as sweeper droids, the droids were successfully transported to Coruscant. They managed to evade Commander Fox and his Coruscant Guard, who dismissed the droids as harmless and permitted their entry into the restricted area without suspicion. Subsequently, they proceeded to the Central power distribution grid. There, they launched an assault on the stationed engineers, eliminating them all.
Simultaneously, Senators Amidala, Organa, and Onaconda Farr addressed the Republic Senate regarding the Confederacy's peace proposal. Vice Chair Mas Amedda accepted it and the other Senators were allowed to vote.
However, moments later, the demolition droids executed their mission, detonating themselves and the generators. Extensive areas of Coruscant plunged into darkness, and the activation of red emergency lights alerted the senate to the attack. Ryloth Senator Orn Free Taa exclaimed that they were under attack. Shortly after, Senator Saam announced that the attack had been confirmed as a Separatist operation, and Kamino Senator Halle Burtoni proposed a vote on the bill to deregulate the banks. Amidala attempted to halt the process, but her efforts were futile as increasing numbers of Senators voiced their support for Burtoni's proposal. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine endorsed the suggestion, effectively ending the debate on the matter.
The banks were deregulated to fund further troop deployments for the war effort. Amidala then tried to get the senate to resume negotiations with the Confederacy despite Umbara's senator Mee Deechi questioning if she had Separatist friends. However, Dooku contacted the senate, saying that the Republic has launched their own attack on the Confederacy's people, killing the proposal's sponsor, Mina Bonteri.