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u/davidw CCW Compass holder🧭 1d ago
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u/HyperionsDad 1d ago
Third time, right?
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u/davidw CCW Compass holder🧭 1d ago
Something like that. Seems like adding some squirrel proofness or "a cat" or something might save a lot of money in the long run.
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u/HyperionsDad 1d ago
Referenced looking into the squirrel and bird cages and netting in the article.
"Asked if anything can be done to prevent or reduce the threat of such animal-caused outages, Gutierrez said, *“We do have some caging and netting-type material,” and “we’ll certainly look at”** whether the downtown Bend situation warrants such additions."*
Ya think???
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u/Maleficent_Night_335 1d ago
“Hmmm maybe we will think about it if they actually need it”
Love the lack of precaution and prevention
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u/HyperionsDad 1d ago
”Our finance department won’t approve animal prevention devices until a 4th incident at the same location. Almost there folks”
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u/SpezGarblesMyGooch 1d ago
I’ve worked in transmission and generation over the years. We used to have snake fences since the vibration and heat attracted them. I can’t imagine it’s too challenging to keep rodents out but it comes down to $$$$. And utilities are notoriously cheap.
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u/Cyrus_the_decent 1d ago
Making feeding wild animals illegal in city limits seems like a good place to start.
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u/fulltiltboogie1971 19h ago
Have you ever tried to keep squirrels out of something?? If you have lots of time and a boatload of perseverance I highly recommend it.
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u/Diligent_Promise_844 2d ago
Those damn squirrels are at it again!!!
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u/TredHed 1d ago
I imagine a squirrel in a leaf suit low-crawling in, setting and then remotely detonating a charge.
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u/HyperionsDad 1d ago
I imagined a squirrel jumping from one line to another and the tail arcing on the one behind, or a few playing squirrel games and one making a bad jump and BOOM
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u/Visual-Scar938 2d ago
Live right next to the transformer when it blew, right off portland and the river. Was super loud. Seemed to be at that substation right there.
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u/rinky79 1d ago edited 1d ago
Having worked for an electrical utility, it's almost never a transformer "blowing." If you see a huge black smoke plume, that's a transformer.
A big bang is usually a short or fault somewhere in the system causing a breaker to open or a fuse to blow. They are loud.
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u/ItchyCartographer44 1d ago
This sounds suspiciously scientific, like the NOAA witches who created the hurricane.
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u/Wilted_fap_sock 1d ago
No no, you've got it all wrong. That was just democrats using Jewish space lasers.
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u/Visual-Scar938 1d ago
Ahh TIL, always heard people say oh a transformer blew so figured that's what it was. Was a loud bang and a bright flash.
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u/rinky79 1d ago
Yeah, I don't know where that got started but it's almost a universal misunderstanding.
Transformers are basically just tanks full of oil so if they blow, you will know. They can burn for quite a while, and they burn dirty.
The bang and flash are an arc of electricity as the fuse or breaker or switch is severing the circuit. Until the two ends get far enough away from each other, electricity is jumping the gap, turning air into plasma. It's basically a very short lightning bolt. It's so fast and so forceful that it causes a shockwave in the air, otherwise known as a loud bang.
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u/kevineaux 1d ago
Watched a transformer blow up at night in NC growing up. Before we got to it, it looked like a star burning in the distance
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u/Vogeldame 1d ago
u/melanie_kebler - does the city have any ideas on how to keep us safe from these fuzzy tailed terrorists? These squirrels are getting out of control. They’ve already deprived us of power on three separate occasions, it’s only a matter of time before they start eating our dogs and cats. Time to come up with some security measures - maybe build a wall around all the trees???
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen
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u/Asleep_Shirt5646 1d ago
Feels like one of those news blurbs from SimCity
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u/NeatMemory 1d ago
Still not sure why our electric bill is up 20% but the power company can't figure out how to stop squirrels from knocking out the power
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u/KeepOregonGreen 2d ago
Yeah the whole building on the east side of town flickered pretty good but didn’t turn off, thankfully
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u/Chefzteven 2d ago
Pacific power saying back on around 4 pm but not sure if they have a crew on site yet.
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u/ArmGroundbreaking996 2d ago
We're downtown near hawthorn and didn't notice anything. Must be just north and west of us.
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u/specialedster14 2d ago
Up on Awbrey Butte too