BBBTV12 Serving Anderson, Roane, and Morgan Counties
Rockwood, TN – Thousands of residents in the Rockwood Electric Utility (REU) service area experienced a power outage on Friday evening after a snake infiltrated a substation. The outage affected areas from Rockwood to Midtown and the top of the mountain.
According to a statement posted by REU officials on their Facebook page, the incident occurred at approximately 10:45 PM on May 24, 2024. Power was lost for all customers fed from the Rockwood Primary Substation, except for the Industrial Park. This outage impacted most of Rockwood, Highway 70 toward Midtown, and the Pine Orchard Area on the mountain.
Automated switching procedures were initiated to restore power to some sections of Rockwood, including REU’s main office. Crews dispatched to the substation discovered a large snake on the buswork electric fuse area. After safely removing the snake and thoroughly inspecting the buswork for any additional damage, the substation was re-energized just before midnight. Power was then restored incrementally to affected areas.
REU expressed gratitude for the community’s patience during the outage and emphasized the safety measures taken by their employees. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding as our team worked diligently to restore power safely,” the statement concluded.
