MTE communications and marketing director Larry Rose told McClatchy News that the situation is "very unusual" because of the advanced equipment used by the substation to deter animal interference, perIn a separate interview with WKRN, Rose further explained the rarity of the situation, saying, "One of the managers I have talked to said he has been on the job for 20 years and probably had two that he can remember, and we've had four in eight days.
NewChannel5 reported that MTE is looking to "install new and improved" guards at the substation during an upcoming planned outage to "prevent further incidents." The electric company's website states that MTE is the "largest electric cooperative" in the Tennessee Valley Authority region, covering Tennessee and areas of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.