A Slithering Saboteur in Virginia
Thousands of Virginians were left fuming over the weekend after a snake caused a major power outage, plunging them into darkness.
Dominion Energy revealed that more than 11,700 customers lost power on the evening of Saturday, August 10, when a snake came into contact with a transformer in a high-voltage area.
Affected areas
According to multiple news sources, including 13 NBC News, WTKR, UPI, and 10 WAVY, the power outage affected customers in Kiln Creek, central Newport News, and Christopher Newport University.
The company restored power to all affected customers approximately an hour and a half after the first reports of the outage.
The snake responsible for the outage has not been identified. While the breed remains unclear, eastern garter snakes and eastern rat snakes are common in the region.
A Deja Vu from Nashville
This incident is reminiscent of a similar situation in Nashville this past May, where four power outages were caused by snakes at the Henpeck substation in Franklin, Tennessee.
“Most of the snakes identified were gray rat snakes,” reported Larry Rose, Middle Tennessee Electric’s communications and marketing director. He described the situation as “unprecedented” and “very unusual,” noting that the substation houses advanced equipment designed to deter animals.
“One of the managers I have talked to said he has been on the job for 20 years and probably had two [snakes] that he can remember,” Rose told WKRN. “And we’ve had four in eight days.”
This incident marks yet another chapter in the ongoing struggle between wildlife and urban infrastructure, reminding us of the unexpected ways nature can disrupt our daily lives.