Snakes Are Cutting Power to Thousands of People

Snakes have been getting into North Carolina power equipment and causing widespread outages for Duke Energy customers.

Newsweek reached out to Duke Energy by phone for comment.

Why It Matters

Power outages are frequently caused by events such as severe weather or equipment failure, but wildlife interference also can be a common cause. That was the case three times in the past week as snakes caused power outages for thousands in eastern and central North Carolina, The News & Observer reported.

What To Know

There are dozens of species of snakes living in North Carolina. Occasionally, the reptiles can come in contact with a substation, such as when they are looking for food or trying to escape high water, The News & Observer reported.

Snakes have caused three power disruptions in North Carolina since May 5. The most recent occurred on Sunday, when 10 percent of Duke Energy customers in Wayne County lost power at about 9:35 p.m., CBS 17 reported. The outage affected more than 5,000 customers. Power was restored in less than two hours.

Duke Energy confirmed that the outage was caused by a snake, the report said.

The other two instances occurred on Thursday in Rolesville, and last Monday in Durham, the report said.

As of Tuesday afternoon at 2:45 ET, more than 2,600 people in North Carolina were without power, according to a map from poweroutage.us. Of those, none were Duke Energy customers.

Snakes have caused power outages in other states over the years as well, including in Florida, Colorado and Georgia.

What People Are Saying

The Environmental Literacy Council, on a webpage: “Snakes can easily climb poles, trees, and even walls to access electrical substations or transformers. They are attracted to the warmth these structures emit, especially during colder months.”

TransGard, a company that makes products to protect power equipment from animals, on its website: “Squirrels and raccoons get the most publicity when it comes to substation outages. But a series of recent snake outages shows that legless crawlers also do their fair share of damage.

“Snakes seek out eggs in birds’ nests that are often found in substations. They also seek warmth after sundown. And, they’re small enough to sneak through narrow gaps.”

What Happens Next

As spring brings severe weather across the U.S., more power outages are likely. When it comes to animals causing the outages, TransGard recommends installing proper fencing around substations to prevent animals from accessing power equipment.