One single snake caused a massive power outage affecting 10,000 people in Durham, North Carolina this week. The snake reportedly crawled past protective fencing designed to keep critters from accessing the equipment and, well, it accessed the equipment. When the snake came in contact with the equipment in the Durham substation, it triggered the power outage on Monday evening into early Tuesday morning, reports local news.
New sources are reporting the snake was a “black snake,” which might mean it was a rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), sometimes simply called a “black snake.” Rat snakes are common, non-venomous snakes found in North Carolina and beyond. They are adept at climbing, and people often spot them in trees. Unfortunately for the snake and 10,000 people in North Carolina, this skill could explain how one snake found its way past barriers and into the substation, causing a power outage.
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The Nature Conservancy says squirrels, birds, rats, raccoons, snakes, and insects are common offenders. In fact, the conservancy says about 13 million Americans lose power annually thanks to wild animals.
However, the number could be higher, because it can sometimes be difficult to prove that an animal caused an outage. “You pretty much have to find the body,” Steve Parker or TE Connectivity told The Nature Conservancy.
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