Austin energy’s unusual power outage culprit raises eyebrows

A massive power outage in Austin and left thousands of customers in the dark. The culprit? A mischievous snake that slithered into an Austin Energy substation.

“This particular bit of wildlife was in the wrong place at the wrong time and caused quite a headache for many folks,” Matt Mitchell, an Austin Energy spokesperson told ABC affiliate KEYE.

Though squirrels typically take the blame for disruptions, this snake stole the show. At its peak, 16,000 customers were left without power. Austin Energy swiftly responded, restoring most customers’ electricity within an hour and a half.