Snake Causes Major Power Outage in Decatur

A power outage impacting over 10,000 customers in Decatur occurred after a snake came into contact with energized equipment. The incident took place at the Cedar Lake Primary substation. The snake, approximately 5.5 feet long, was reportedly just long enough to bridge two pieces of energized substation equipment, initiating the outage.

Decatur Utilities crews were able to restore service by rerouting electricity through other sections of the power grid. This action allowed customers to regain power while necessary repairs were performed at the affected substation. The utility credited the radial design of its power grid for enabling this swift resolution.