NORWAY – Power to 5,467 consumers was knocked out for almost two hours Monday morning when two squirrels caused a shortage.

A Central Maine Power spokesman said power was lost for customers in Otisfield, Oxford, Norway, Paris, Waterford and Greenwood at 7:55 a.m. and restored at 9:49 a.m.

“Animal contact on the inside and outside of the substation on Grove Street caused a shortage that knocked out three circuits,” the spokesman said.

He said the substation was up and running so quickly because no damage was caused by the shortage.

Squirrels were also the culprits in a February 2002 shutdown of the Grove Street substation when they caused the main transmission line to split.