Magpie-triggered outages could cost Forssa utility 50,000 euros

A magpie that caused a short circuit has led to a series of power cuts in Forssa, with an estimated 50,000-euro impact on the local network operator’s returns, Yle reports.

The problems began around midnight on October 29, when the bird flew into a pole-mounted disconnect switch in Forssa, in the Kanta-Häme region. The short circuit was unusually powerful, said Jiri Tähkänen, network manager at Forssa network services.

At the worst point, more than 2,000 households were without power for about 15 minutes. Dozens to hundreds of customers experienced longer outages lasting one or two hours.

The initial short circuit caused an unusually widespread but brief outage. It was followed by three more cuts as damaged components failed. Two disconnect switches and one pole-end voltage protector were damaged, Tähkänen said.

Repairs have cost about 10,000 euros in installation work. The network operator’s exact financial impact is not yet known, but Tähkänen estimated that interruptions could affect its returns by about 50,000 euros. The Energy Authority monitors the operator’s returns, and the harm caused to customers by service interruptions is one of the measures used.

Birds are among the most common causes of power cuts, Tähkänen said. In Forssa, about 90 percent of electricity lines are underground, leaving most cables out of reach of animals.