A monkey clambered into a power station south of Colombo, causing a countrywide power outage in Sri Lanka. The blackout began around midday on Sunday, leaving residents sweltering in temperatures exceeding 30°C (86°F). Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody explained that the monkey came into contact with a grid transformer, creating an imbalance in the power system. Despite being a singular incident, the Ceylon Electricity Board did not provide details on how it resulted in such widespread repercussions.
Sri Lanka's ongoing energy security struggles were highlighted by this outage, which occurred against the backdrop of a deep economic crisis. The nation has experienced frequent power shortages, exacerbated by fuel shortages that forced authorities to ration electricity for up to 13 hours a day in 2022. The toque macaque, an endemic species numbering between 2 and 3 million on the island, has become an increasing problem, contributing to incidents like this one.
Engineers worked swiftly to restore power to the island nation, home to 22 million people. Priority was given to critical facilities such as hospitals and water purification plants. Nevertheless, many households without generators remained in darkness well into the night. While some areas regained electricity within hours, others faced prolonged outages.
The incident has sparked widespread media coverage and has become a popular topic for internet memes. A user humorously remarked, "Only in Sri Lanka can a monkey knock out the entire nation’s electricity." The situation underscores the vulnerability of Sri Lanka's national power grid.
"The national power grid is in such a weakened state that frequent island-wide power outages may be expected if there is a disturbance in one of our lines," said an unnamed senior engineer.
The blackout serves as a grim reminder of the country's energy challenges and the need for robust solutions to prevent future occurrences.