GRANITE CITY — More than 2,000 customers in Granite City and Madison experienced a power outage late Sunday evening, June 15, 2025, after a snake made contact with electrical equipment inside a local substation, Ameren Illinois reported.
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The utility company received several calls about the outage and dispatched a crew just after 10 p.m. to investigate. Upon arrival, workers found a snake on top of a transformer inside the substation. To safely remove the snake, crews coordinated with dispatch to reroute power from alternative sources in the area.
Power was fully restored to all affected customers by 2 a.m., and the snake was removed from the substation. Customers were then switched back to their original power source.
According to Ameren Illinois, snakes can occasionally cause power outages during the spring and summer months. Recent heavy rains in Madison County may drive snakes to seek higher ground, food, and warmth inside substations.
Brian Bretsch, Public and Media Relations Manager for Ameren Illinois, provided the information.
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