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Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-2786

Transformer explodes on pole, closing part of Route 12 in Norwich

May 2021Published 6 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorElectricalProvisionalNext update 7 Nov
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
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supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

What happened

At around 9:30 p.m. on 2 May 2021, a transformer on a utility pole in Norwich, Chenango County, New York, blew, bringing down wires and damaging the pole. Chenango County Emergency Services officials said the transformer had just exploded. Traffic on Route 12 between County Road 46 and 32B was shut down, and detours were in place through the morning of 3 May. The source gave no date for reopening Route 12. At 5 a.m. on 3 May, 379 New York State Electric and Gas customers in Chenango County were without power, and the utility's outage site indicated most could be restored early that morning. No injuries were reported.

Contributing factors

Not reported. The source does not state the cause of the transformer failure.

Lessons learned

  1. Distribution transformers that fail violently can bring down overhead conductors and poles, so operators should treat the surrounding road and public space as a live hazard zone until the line is isolated.
  2. Coordinate early with emergency services and road authorities so that closures and detours are set quickly and kept in place until the wires and pole are made safe.
  3. Publish outage numbers and restoration estimates, as the utility did here, so that affected customers and responders can plan.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, emergency response and public communication, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.

Source

wnbf.com

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Published 2026-11-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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