Unitil Highlights Wildlife-Related Outages During National Electrical Safety Month

During National Electrical Safety Month in May, Unitil is highlighting an often-overlooked cause of power outages: wildlife. While severe weather remains the main cause of power outages, animals such as birds, squirrels, and rodents are also responsible for a significant number of service disruptions every year.

In Unitil's service territory, wildlife accounts for about 13% of power outages. These outages usually happen when animals chew on power lines or build nests on equipment. Most of these incidents occur in spring and fall when animals are most active.

"Wildlife-related outages are more common than many people realize, which is why we use specialized equipment and industry best practices to reduce the number of those incidents," said Amanda Vicinanzo, Unitil's external affairs manager. "By protecting wildlife, we not only keep animals safe, but also improve reliability for our customers."

Birds and other animals can walk or perch on power lines without getting shocked because of how electricity moves. The danger comes when an animal creates a path across surfaces with different voltages, allowing for electricity to jump.

Underground lines may also be at risk for interference. Animals that burrow, like groundhogs and rodents, can damage these lines and cause outages that are harder to fix.

Unitil reduces the number of animal-related outages by using special equipment that keeps wildlife away from live parts. Transformer guards with pointed ends stop squirrels from climbing. Plastic baffles guide birds and other animals away from wires and equipment. Pole caps keep wildlife from landing on poles and help protect against moisture. In areas where animals nest frequently, the company uses various pole setups to prevent them from nesting on equipment.

The public can also play a role in preventing animal-related outages by keeping bird feeders away from power lines and avoiding cutting down dead trees in spring and early summer when animals are nesting. Reporting unusual animal activity to Unitil, including large nests near power lines, utility poles, and electrical equipment, can also help prevent outages.

"Managing wildlife around electric infrastructure is part of operating the system responsibly, and it reflects a commitment to being good stewards of the environment while maintaining safe, reliable service," said Vicinanzo.