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West Salem Today
By the People, for the People
Power Outage Hits West Salem, Schools Close Early
Xcel Energy says a squirrel coming into contact with a transformer caused the disruption.
Mar. 5, 2026 at 5:14pm
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A power outage affected thousands of customers in West Salem, Wisconsin on Thursday morning, leading local schools to close early. Xcel Energy reported that the outage was caused by a squirrel coming into contact with a transformer, impacting around 5,500 customers in the area. The utility company dispatched a specialized worker to investigate the issue, and estimated power would be restored by 1 p.m.
Why it matters
Power outages can significantly disrupt daily life, especially for schools and businesses. This incident highlights the vulnerability of electrical infrastructure to unexpected events like animal interference, and the importance of reliable power for a community's functioning.
The details
According to Xcel Energy's outage map, the power failure originated near the corner of West Jefferson Street and South Oak Street, affecting 3,801 customers. However, the utility company stated the outage actually impacted around 5,500 customers in the wider West Salem area. A power substation is located in the vicinity of the origin point, but the exact cause was initially unclear. West Salem schools decided to close at 11 a.m. and send students home, with buses currently in the process of picking up students.
- The outage occurred around 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
- Xcel Energy estimated power would be restored by 1 p.m. the same day.
The players
Xcel Energy
A major electric and natural gas utility company serving customers across eight U.S. states, including Wisconsin.
What’s next
Xcel Energy will investigate the incident further to determine if any equipment upgrades or animal mitigation measures are needed to prevent similar outages in the future.
The takeaway
This power outage demonstrates the importance of the reliability of electrical infrastructure for a community, and the need for utilities to be proactive in protecting their systems from potential disruptions like animal interference.
