An almost surreal scenario has held Sri Lanka with suspended breath: An entire nation in the dark for hours due to a monkey. An event that seems to have come out of a dystopian film, but that actually raises crucial questions about Stability of energy infrastructure of the country.
The blackout and the unexpected “culprit”
It all started on Sunday 9 February, when a current interruption paralyzed Sri Lanka for over six hours. The Minister of Energy, Kumara Jayakredyattributed the accident to a monkey that would introduce itself to a station on the electricity grid near Columbus, coming into contact with a transformer and causing a widespread interruption. The breakdown also involved the main coal electric power plant in the country, temporarily blocking its operation.
Electrical Grids Are Built to Resist Human Interference and Natural Disastersters. But Turns Out, Sri Lank’s Power Grid Wasn’T Ready For What this Little Monkey Had in Store for it. pic.twitter.com/qrs2cwdksb
– Interesting Engineering (@inth century) Febration 11, 2025
If in some areas the electricity has been restored in a few hours, many families remained in the dark until late at night, with temperatures that exceeded 30 ° C. Priority was given to hospitals and water purification plants, but the discomfort for citizens was remarkable.
Among irony and concern: the reaction on social media
The news triggered a wave of comments on social media. Many users commented on the paradoxical episode: “Only in Sri Lanka can a monkey send an entire nation by tilt”, A user wrote. Others, however, underlined the gravity of the situation: “A monkey = total chaos. Is it time to rethink infrastructure?“.
The online debate highlighted a much more serious aspect of the story: The vulnerability of the national electricity gridwhich has already shown serious flaws in recent years.
A fragile electric network: the real problem
This blackout is not an isolated case. Already in 2022, Sri Lanka has faced a serious energy crisis due to the lack of fuelwith blackouts planned up to 13 hours a day. Experts have long denounced the obsolescence of infrastructures, which make the country highly exposed to current interruptions also for minimal events.
An engineer mentioned by the newspaper Daily Mirrorhe explained that the net is so fragile that it can collapse for a simple imbalance. “If a single accident can cause a national blackout, it means that our system is extremely vulnerable,” he said.
The monkeys
In addition to the fragility of the infrastructures, the episode has brought attention to the problem of the growing population of monkeys in Sri Lanka. The macaco toque, an endemic species, has between 2 and 3 million specimens. With progressive urbanization and reduction of forest areasthese animals get closer and more closer to human settlements, causing damage to crops and, apparently, also to the electrical network.
The authorities must now face a double challenge: on the one hand, improve energy safety; on the other, find sustainable solutions to manage the growing interaction between humans and wildlife.
