Don’t Let Metallic Balloons Ruin the Party

July 29, 2019

While helium-filled Mylar balloons have grown in popularity as festive decorations, they have also become the cause of many power outages. Their metallic coating poses a risk to our electrical system. It may be hard to believe that nearly 110 Mylar balloon-related outages occurred across our service territory in 2018 – and 60 similar outages recorded so far this year.

Here are some ways to keep your party from becoming a bust:

  • Use caution and avoid celebrating with metallic balloons near overhead lines
  • Securely tie them to a weight so they can’t float away
  • They can stay inflated for weeks – be sure to puncture and deflate when no longer in use
  • Never release them into the sky
  • Do not attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line