Last Friday night, a slithering saboteur caused a power outage across significant parts of Rockwood, Tennessee. Rockwood Electric Utility (REU) reported that a very large snake was the culprit behind the disruption, leaving locals in the dark. At around 10:45 p.m., the reptilian interloper managed to knock out the power supply from the Rockwood Primary Substation, sparing only the Industrial Park area.
According to REU’s Facebook update, the unannounced visitor threw most of Rockwood, Highway 70 toward Midtown, and the Pine Orchard area on the mountain into a blackout. After automated processes partially restored the service, the REU's main office was among the first to regain power.
Crews were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered the snake on the buswork. The REU promptly attended to the stricken substation, with a statement obtained by WVLT-TV reading, “Crews responded to the substation and upon inspecting the main bus, found a very large snake on the buswork.” Following the removal of the snake and a thorough bus inspection to ensure no further issues, power was gradually restored to all areas before midnight.
The incident in Rockwood is not an isolated case - the town of Franklin, Tennessee has been hit by snake-induced power outages four times this month alone. It seems that these cold-blooded creatures have a knack for causing electrical chaos, a report by 1025wowcountry indicated. The utility extended its gratitude to customers, “we apologize for any inconveniences," and wished everyone a pleasant holiday weekend, post-restoration.
Residents were reminded of the unpredictability of wildlife intersecting with human infrastructure – a timely note as the regions move into the warmer months when such incidents are more prevalent. Rockwood Electric Utility has since restored normalcy but the event shines a light on the serpentine challenges power grids can face.
