Power outage during coastal storm had unusual source, North Carolina co-op says
.png "A turkey found its way into the guts of a power pole and caused a power outage in eastern North Carolina, officials say.")
A coastal storm brought 50 mph gusts and widespread flooding to eastern North Carolina, but a power outage near Harker’s Island had a more unexpected cause, experts say.
“A turkey made the fatal mistake of getting in-between (a lightning) arrester and a ground,” Carteret-Craven Electric Co-op wrote in a Facebook post. “Dinner will be served shortly. ... He might be extra crispy.”
Arresters are a device that protects power poles during high-voltage surges, including lightning strikes, experts say.
The outage impacted around 2,400 members in Otway area on Saturday, Oct. 11, about an 8-mile-drive north from Harkers Island.
A photo shared by the co-op shows the bird had tucked itself in at the top of the pole, perhaps in an effort to fight against the wind gusts.
Wild turkeys aren’t known for their flying abilities, but the species is “highly mobile,” with the birds able to fly at 55 mph and run at about 25 mph, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission says. The biggest of the species can reach 4 feet in length and 20 pounds.
The turkey’s mistake ignited an ongoing series of jokes and puns on social media, including references to a “High Voltage Butterball.”
The co-op joined in, asking: “Wonder what the Butterball hot line would recommend for this situation?”
Otway is about a 160-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.
This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 7:53 AM with the headline "Power outage during coastal storm had unusual source, North Carolina co-op says."