Squirrel puts out the lights in Richmond

subscribe

A squirrel that caused a short circuit in an electrical substation left a large section of downtown Richmond, Va., without power for several hours.

Dominion Virginia Power said 6,000 customers were without electricity for a time October 31, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. The outage began just before 9 a.m. and everyone had the lights back on by early afternoon.

"Squirrels are very active in preparing for winter, and it occasionally happens," said Dominion spokesman Karl Neddenien. "We have not yet come up with a squirrel-proof substation."

The squirrel's curiosity killed it.

Some downtown restaurants remained open throughout the outage. They use gas for cooking, and customers and staff coped with the lack of electric light.

Some unfortunates were in elevators when the power went off.

The affected area included the main campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Related News

washington-ag-leads-legal-challenge-against-trumps-energy-emergency

Washington AG Leads Legal Challenge Against Trump’s Energy Emergency

SEATTLE - In a significant legal move, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown has spearheaded a coalition of 15 states in filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle on May 9, 2025, challenges the legality of the emergency declaration, which aims to expedite permitting processes for fossil fuel projects by bypassing key environmental reviews.

Background of the Energy Emergency Declaration

President Trump's executive order, issued on January 20, 2025, asserts that the United States faces an inadequate and unreliable energy grid, particularly affecting the Northeast…

READ MORE
tunisia renewables

Tunisia invests in major wind farm as part of longterm renewable energy plan

READ MORE

Ontario explores possibility of new, large scale nuclear plants

Ontario explores possibility of new, large scale nuclear plants

READ MORE

Electrification Of Vehicles Prompts BC Hydro's First Call For Power In 15 Years

READ MORE

california electricity meter

CALIFORNIA: Why your electricity prices are soaring

READ MORE