Cute, clever, and causing outages:  Inside the complicated relationship between Huntsville Utilities and squirrels

January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day, a holiday created to celebrate one of nature’s most energetic creatures. At Huntsville Utilities, it is also a reminder of a relationship best described as complicated.

Squirrels are responsible for roughly 7,000 power outages each year nationwide, according to data from the American Public Power Association. And while the nimble rodents may be entertaining to watch from a backyard or park bench, their curiosity can cause serious trouble when it intersects with electrical equipment.

“As you can imagine, the squirrels rarely survive these incidents,” Huntsville Utilities spokesperson Todd Long said.

The utility works year-round to protect both wildlife and equipment by installing physical barriers such as pole wraps, baffle rollers, bushing covers, and transformer covers. Crews also manage vegetation near poles and substations to reduce access points. In some substations, visitors may even spot a large plastic owl placed in hopes of scaring squirrels away.

Customers can help too. Huntsville Utilities encourages residents to keep trees trimmed away from power lines and to seal small openings around their homes where squirrels could enter and chew on electrical components.

Despite the outages, Huntsville Utilities does not hold a grudge. The connection between squirrels and power disruptions is actually why the utility chose a squirrel as its safety mascot.

“Wattson,” spelled with two Ts like “watt,” makes appearances at public events and during Utility Adventure Days field trips, where students learn about electrical safety and how utilities work. Wattson has become a fan favorite, even if his real world counterparts occasionally cause headaches for crews.

While Huntsville Utilities does not officially celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day beyond a nod on social media, the day offers a chance to laugh a little at a shared experience nearly every utility customer understands.

National Squirrel Appreciation Day was created by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove and is observed annually on Jan. 21. The day encourages people to learn about squirrels, support conservation efforts, and decide for themselves how to appreciate the animals that many find fascinating and others find frustrating.

For Huntsville Utilities, appreciation may come with protective equipment, plastic owls, and a healthy dose of humor.

And perhaps a reminder that when the lights flicker, there is a decent chance a squirrel had something to do with it.