EPB informed customers in Hixson and Soddy-Daisy they could thank snakes for two brief power outages over the last five days.
“Both of these outages were caused by snakes that unfortunately made contact with energized equipment inside one of EPB’s large substations,” EPB President of Energy and Communications Ryan Keel wrote in an email Wednesday afternoon.
The first outage caused by a snake came around 3 a.m. June 13 and the second around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Though it’s rare for snakes to cause outages, this was not the first time snakes have interrupted service for EPB customers, Keel said in a phone interview.
But it was highly unusual to have two separate snakes cause outages in such close succession at the same substation.
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The snakes did not cause damage to equipment but caused a trip when they climbed up the substation, connecting an energized part with a nonenergized part, Keel said.
“They climb vertically up the structure, and that’s where all the energized parts are,” Keel said in an interview. “If you just make contact between an energized spot and a grounded place, then it’s going to cause a problem, and the station is going to trip off.”
Chattanooga’s electric utility and internet provider has an automated “Smart Grid” system that allows it to reroute power within seconds and keep outages brief.
EPB sent out the email to make sure residents who experienced both outages knew there wasn’t a chronic problem or an issue with their homes.
“We want to reassure you that these incidents were isolated and not a sign of any ongoing issues with the power system,” Keel wrote in the email. “Even though the interruptions were brief, we understand they are inconvenient. We sincerely apologize for any disruption they may have caused.”
The snakes did not survive, an EPB spokesperson said in an email.
Like other utilities, EPB sets up animal guards at its more than 100 substations, which are enclosed by a chain link fence and barbed wire. But because of their length and size, snakes can still get through, Keel said.
Snakes caused a series of power outages in Franklin, Tennessee, in 2024, reported News Channel 5 in Nashville.
Electrical equipment shorted when snakes came in contact, and Middle Tennessee Electric said it had tried using snake repellent to prevent further outages.
Contact Daniel Dassow at ddassow@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.