Squirrel Causes Widespread Power Outage In Blaine And Coon Rapids

Squirrel Causes Widespread Power Outage In Blaine And Coon Rapids

BLAINE, MN – June 4, 2025 – Thousands of residents and businesses in Blaine and Coon Rapids experienced a significant power outage this morning, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, after a squirrel made contact with equipment at a Conexus Energy substation. The incident, which occurred at approximately 8:50 a.m. at the Spring Lake Park Substation, left 6,537 Conexus Energy members without electricity.

The outage was triggered when the squirrel interfered with the circuit 2 recloser inside the substation, causing an immediate disruption to power supply. Conexus Energy crews swiftly responded to the incident, initiating protocols to isolate the affected substation and reroute power from neighboring substations using their Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

Within minutes of the outage, by 9:08 a.m., power was successfully restored to 3,283 affected members. Conexus Energy technicians continued to work diligently on-site, making necessary repairs and adjustments. By 10:26 a.m., the remaining three circuits were restored, bringing power back to all 3,254 members still impacted by the outage.

While seemingly minor, animal interference, particularly from squirrels, is a surprisingly common cause of power disruptions nationwide. Utility companies like Conexus Energy employ various measures to deter wildlife from electrical infrastructure, but these incidents can occasionally occur.

Conexus Energy extended its apologies to affected customers for the inconvenience and thanked them for their patience as crews worked to restore service efficiently and safely. The cooperative also reminded members that they can stay informed about outages and restoration efforts by signing up for outage alerts and checking the Conexus Energy website for updates.

MinneapoliMedia