A feline friend caused a major power outage in Puerto Princesa City and seven other municipalities in Palawan early in the morning on March 4th.
According to the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO), the blackout was triggered by a short circuit caused by a cat at the PPGI power plant in Narra.
Maria Janelle Rebusada, PALECO’s information officer, explained that the cat inadvertently created a connection between the live wire and the transformer’s base, resulting in the disruptive short circuit.
Rebusada elaborated on how such a short circuit occurs, citing an example where the cat’s front paw touches the live wire (+) while its rear paw touches the base or body of the transformer (-).
Despite the live wire being just a few inches away from the transformer’s bushing, the length of the cat’s body was enough to bridge the gap and cause the short circuit.
“This unexpected incident affected various power provider plants, including Delta P, DMCI Aborlan, DMCI Narra, and PPGI Puerto Princesa, resulting in widespread power outages,” Rebusada explained.
Efforts to restore electricity began promptly, with reclosers like GMA initiating the process around 6:08 a.m.
