Harnessing AI to Combat Snake-Induced Power Outages in Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee, has faced an unexpected and disruptive challenge this May: a series of power outages caused by snakes infiltrating the Henpeck substation. Reports from The Rock Hill Herald, WKRN, and NewsChannel5 reveal that these outages, totaling four in the month, have prompted Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) to seek innovative solutions. Larry Rose, MTE's communications and marketing director, described the situation as "unprecedented." Despite the substation's advanced wildlife deterrent technologies, the snakes have managed to breach the defenses. “One of our managers, with over two decades of experience, recalls only two snake incidents, yet we've had four in just eight days,” Rose noted. The culprits, primarily gray rat snakes, have been causing the outages by coming into contact with live electrical equipment, resulting in short circuits similar to triggering a household circuit breaker. Despite MTE's efforts, including testing various snake ...