KU Officials: Squirrel Caused Lexington Power Outage

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Officials at Kentucky Utilities say a squirrel is to blame for a substation malfunction off of Harrodsburg Road that left over 5,000 people without power Wednesday morning.

The power outages, that affected the Harrodsburg Road/Beaumont Center/Clays Mill Road area, have largely been restored.  KU says crews have been shifting the power load to other substations, and say that work should be completely finished by about 10:00 a.m.

KU officials have said that the squirrel touched a “device” at the substation, that set off the power outage.

The outage affected traffic lights along the Harrodsburg Road and New Circle Road corridor, Man O’ War Boulevard at Dunbar High School, Lane Allen, Fieldstone Way, Corporate Drive, and Clays Mill.  Those lights, too, are nearly completely restored.