It was an ordinary Wednesday morning in Kwaso—until the lights flickered and died. What followed was anything but typical: a giant snake, entangled in electrical wires, was found to be the unlikely culprit behind a temporary power outage that stunned residents and left ECG crews scrambling for answers.
On the morning of Wednesday, June 11, 2025, a huge snake slithered onto a utility pole, causing a short circuit that plunged parts of the community into darkness for hours.
The Culprit: A Colossal Serpent
According to eyewitnesses and reports from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the snake was discovered coiled dangerously around electrical equipment atop a utility pole. Its contact with live wires caused a sudden short circuit, plunging parts of Kwaso into darkness for several hours.
A local ECG technician who responded to the scene confirmed that the snake’s body had interfered with the high-voltage system, triggering safety mechanisms that shut down power to protect the grid.
“We’ve had birds, we’ve had storms—but this is the first time we’ve had a snake cause an outage on this scale,” said one ECG engineer at the scene.
A Shock to the System
The power outage, which lasted approximately two hours, affected homes, businesses, and traffic in the immediate vicinity. Fortunately, thanks to a quick response from ECG technicians, the issue was isolated and resolved without further damage.
The snake, unfortunately, did not survive the encounter—raising concerns about the interaction between wildlife and infrastructure in rapidly urbanizing regions.
Nature Meets the Grid
While unusual, this isn’t the first time animals have disrupted power lines. Across the world, snakes, monkeys, squirrels, and even cats have been known to cause unexpected blackouts. Experts say that as human settlements expand into natural habitats, such encounters may become more common.
Wildlife experts in the Ashanti Region have suggested installing protective mesh guards and animal barriers on power infrastructure in forest-adjacent communities like Kwaso to prevent future incidents.
“It’s a reminder that we share space with nature—even if it shows up in the most electrifying ways,” commented one local conservationist.
Local Reactions: A Mix of Shock and Humor
Residents of Kwaso took to social media and WhatsApp groups to share images and jokes about the “snake outage.” One popular meme read, “Even the snake wanted to charge its phone.” Others saw it as a sign—though what it signified was left open to interpretation.
While some were briefly inconvenienced by the blackout, many expressed relief that it wasn’t caused by a technical failure or sabotage, but rather nature making an unexpected appearance.
Looking Ahead
The Electricity Company of Ghana has assured the public that further inspections will be conducted in the area to prevent repeat occurrences. Engineers are also reviewing pole designs and discussing wildlife-safe upgrades for rural lines.
As for Kwaso, it will surely remember June 11 not just as the day the lights went out—but the day a snake slithered its way into the town’s story.
