Manicou Triggers Power Disruptions Across Parts of Trinidad
A manicou has been blamed for a series of electrical faults that caused power disruptions and voltage dips across several communities in Trinidad on Tuesday night.
T&TEC General Manager Ian Ramrattan said the incidents occurred between approximately 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., primarily affecting customers in the Saddle Road and Santa Cruz areas.
During the two-hour period, residents in San Juan and surrounding communities took to social media reporting loud noises, bright flashes and electricity repeatedly dipping or briefly going off.
Ramrattan explained that the first fault temporarily interrupted electricity to some customers along Saddle Road.
However, T&TEC’s automatic protection system responded to the fault and restored the electricity supply, resulting in some customers losing power for only a few seconds.
Other customers did not experience a complete outage but instead noticed voltage dips, which can cause lights to flicker or electrical equipment to temporarily lose power.
A second fault later occurred and resulted in a longer electricity interruption for customers within the directly affected area.
The impact of the electrical disturbance extended beyond Saddle Road and Santa Cruz.
According to Ramrattan, the fault produced voltage dips that were experienced as far away as parts of east Trinidad, helping to explain why customers outside the immediate area also reported fluctuations in their electricity supply.
The unusual sequence of flashes, noises and repeated power dips led to questions among residents about what was happening with the electricity network during the night.
T&TEC has since identified a manicou as the cause of the series of disruptions.
Wildlife coming into contact with electrical infrastructure can trigger faults and activate protective systems designed to isolate problems and protect equipment on the electricity network.
While some customers experienced only momentary interruptions, others were left without electricity for a longer period following the second fault.
The incident highlights how a relatively small disturbance at one point on the electricity network can produce noticeable voltage fluctuations across a much wider area.
No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
