NEW ORLEANS — The company that supplied electricity to the Super Bowl said the blackout that halted the big game was caused by a device it installed specially to prevent a power failure.

But the utility stopped short of taking all the blame and said Friday that it was looking into whether the electrical relay at fault had a design flaw or a manufacturing defect.

The relay had been installed as part of a project begun in 2011 to upgrade the electrical system serving the Superdome in anticipation of the championship game. The equipment was supposed to guard against problems in the cable that links the power grid with lines that go into the stadium.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Felix Hernandez won’t pitch for Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.The Seattle Mariners ace said in an interview with the Venezuelan sports newspaper Lider that it was a difficult decision to sit out.