Beate wrote to say the power went out for several hours in Flour Buff, TX this morning because a squirrel tripped a circuit switcher. Apparently that isn’t uncommon.
Electrical disruptions caused by squirrels are common and widespread, and can involve the disruption of power grids. It has been hypothesized that the threat to the internet, infrastructure and services posed by squirrels may exceed that posed by cyber-attacks. Although many commentators have highlighted humorous aspects of the concern, squirrels have proven consistently able to cripple power grids in many countries, and the danger posed to the electrical grid from squirrels is ongoing and significant.
—Wikipedia
I didn’t know that! I do remember we had our own power outage starting New Year’s Eve 2018. It was just our apartment and the emergency maintenance man discovered some poor critter had tried to build a nest inside our circuit box. He ran an extension cord from the downstairs apartment so we could run the heater and we bought some dry ice to keep our food safe in the refrigerator. He said an electrician would come the next day to fix it, but the fellow couldn’t come because there was too much snow because of the storm.
We powered one 8-watt LED bulb from the extension, and I managed to also power my modem and rigged up my laptop so I could connect with the internet. (The laptop is on top of a big box on the piano so I could use it standing up.)
By the afternoon of January 2 they managed to give us 1/3 of our power while they waited for a new circuit breaker to come, and a couple of days later we were back to normal.
I do feel sorry for that poor critter trying to protect itself from the bitter cold.
April 18, 2022
We have a whole lot of squirrels around here, like you probably do. And they are always chewing the electrical lines and causing power outages. I see them running across the wires all the time. I think that THEY think the wires are some kind of strange trees.
They are so athletic and smart!
I can’t even imagine how a squirrel could achieve such an outage – here it’s storms and large trees OR car crashes that cause most of our outages – touch wood none here for a while…but every storm many “grids” affected, some can be one street across…
I was surprised by that article, but who knows?
That is about 5 miles from our house!! When Bud and I were out and about, I noticed dozens of power company trucks headed that way. Then on the news, heard about the squirrels
That’s close!
I’ve never heard of squirrels causing power outages around here but I imagine they are responsible for them more than I realize.
I had never heard of squirrels causing outages either. What a surprise if true.
We have always lived with a lot of squirrels. One winter we had as many as 16 at our birdfeeder at one time. We haven’t had a power outrage due to one but I have heard of that happening. I’m guessing some power companies are better at covering up the connectors at the tops of the poles than other companies. Our outrages are usually wind, ice or car accident related. Did have one that took out 1/4 of the state off line that was a suspected cyber attack.
That was a lot of squirrels!
we lost our cable TV, phone and internet because a squirrel or a rat chewed throught the cable that went from the pole to the house. I had to get tough with the repair guy. the 2nd one. he came and it was working. I said it was not working when i called, the wire is chewed at a place 2 feet from the pole. that would require a ladder. he said he did not have one that tall and left. he did not come back. i dialed 611 which is HELP line to Spectrum from our Spectrum phone. I started the conversation with I have an emergency. My hubby has no TV and I have not internet and we NEED HELP.. he laughed and laughed. told him my story and he said we will send someone tomorrow. I said he better bring a ladder a long one because I KNOW WHAT IS WRONG.. the guy came, and did not believe me, he said when I check the line it says its good. I said change the line PLEASE. he did and when he got ready to leave he apoligized and showed me the wire that was chewed to smithereens… rat or rat with a fluffy tail. both chew wires
Good for you!
forgot to say, you are so creative, your “desk” is like something I would do… o
We’re alike that way. It makes life fun? ?
I’d no idea my favorite furry creatures had a dark side! Props to you and Andy for sticking it out and making the best of an awful situation!
We were cheerful about it, but it was crazy. Actually Kaitlin, Torben and the pups had made the long drive to see us but they couldn’t even drive to the land because of the storm. They were a day late because of the driving conditions but it didn’t dampen their spirits either. They stayed in a motel here in town.
You know I love squirrels, but I also know they can cause a lot of damage. One of Roger’s buddies has had the wiring on two of his vehicles destroyied by squirrels. They eat the coating.
We had critters eat all of the wiring off our little tractor and Andy has to put rat traps in the hood of the truck up there to protect it. Mice will also girdle the fruit trees and kill them if the snow level is above the protection we put around the trees.
That’s interesting about the squirrel. We had a cable outage for 10 hours on Saturday.
That’s a long time! Glad it was fixed.