PG&E to Graduates: Toss Caps in the Air, Not Metallic Balloons
PG&E (PCG) is warning customers about safety risks from helium-filled metallic balloons during graduation season. In the first five months of 2025, metallic balloons caused over 130 power outages in PG&E's service area, affecting more than 54,000 customers. These incidents can disrupt critical facilities like hospitals and schools.
The company emphasizes that metallic balloons' silvery coating conducts electricity, potentially causing transformer shorts, power outages, and melted electrical wires when contacting power lines. A previous incident during a North Coast homecoming parade resulted in 2,700 customers losing power when balloons hit power lines.
PG&E urges customers to secure metallic balloons with weights, keep them indoors when possible, and never attempt to retrieve balloons caught in power lines.PG&E (PCG) avverte i clienti dei rischi per la sicurezza legati ai palloncini metallici riempiti di elio durante la stagione delle lauree. Nei primi cinque mesi del 2025, i palloncini metallici hanno causato oltre 130 interruzioni di corrente nell'area di servizio di PG&E, colpendo più di 54.000 clienti. Questi episodi possono compromettere strutture critiche come ospedali e scuole.
L'azienda sottolinea che il rivestimento argentato dei palloncini metallici conduce elettricità, causando potenzialmente cortocircuiti ai trasformatori, blackout e fusione dei cavi elettrici quando entrano in contatto con linee elettriche. Un precedente episodio durante una parata di ritorno a casa nella North Coast ha fatto perdere energia a 2.700 clienti a causa di palloncini che hanno toccato i cavi elettrici.
PG&E invita i clienti a fissare i palloncini metallici con pesi, tenerli al chiuso quando possibile e a non tentare mai di recuperare palloncini impigliati nelle linee elettriche.
PG&E (PCG) advierte a los clientes sobre los riesgos de seguridad asociados con globos metálicos llenos de helio durante la temporada de graduaciones. En los primeros cinco meses de 2025, los globos metálicos causaron más de 130 cortes de energía en el área de servicio de PG&E, afectando a más de 54,000 clientes. Estos incidentes pueden interrumpir instalaciones críticas como hospitales y escuelas.
La compañía enfatiza que el recubrimiento plateado de los globos metálicos conduce electricidad, lo que puede causar cortocircuitos en transformadores, apagones y cables eléctricos derretidos al entrar en contacto con las líneas eléctricas. Un incidente previo durante un desfile de regreso a casa en la Costa Norte provocó la pérdida de energía para 2,700 clientes cuando los globos tocaron las líneas eléctricas.
PG&E insta a los clientes a asegurar los globos metálicos con pesos, mantenerlos en interiores cuando sea posible y nunca intentar recuperar globos atrapados en las líneas eléctricas.
PG&E (PCG)는 졸업 시즌 동안 헬륨으로 채워진 금속 풍선과 관련된 안전 위험에 대해 고객들에게 경고하고 있습니다. 2025년 첫 5개월 동안 금속 풍선으로 인해 PG&E 서비스 지역에서 130건 이상의 정전이 발생했으며, 54,000명 이상의 고객이 영향을 받았습니다. 이러한 사고는 병원 및 학교와 같은 중요한 시설에 지장을 줄 수 있습니다.
회사는 금속 풍선의 은빛 코팅이 전기를 전도하여 변압기 단락, 정전 및 전선 용융을 일으킬 수 있다고 강조합니다. 북부 해안 홈커밍 퍼레이드 중 풍선이 전선에 닿아 2,700명의 고객이 정전을 겪은 이전 사고가 있었습니다.
PG&E는 고객들에게 금속 풍선을 무게추로 고정하고 가능하면 실내에 보관하며, 전선에 걸린 풍선을 절대 직접 회수하려 하지 말 것을 권고합니다.
PG&E (PCG) met en garde ses clients contre les risques de sécurité liés aux ballons métalliques remplis d'hélium pendant la saison des remises de diplômes. Au cours des cinq premiers mois de 2025, ces ballons métalliques ont provoqué plus de 130 coupures de courant dans la zone desservie par PG&E, affectant plus de 54 000 clients. Ces incidents peuvent perturber des infrastructures critiques telles que les hôpitaux et les écoles.
L'entreprise souligne que le revêtement argenté des ballons métalliques conduit l'électricité, ce qui peut provoquer des courts-circuits sur les transformateurs, des pannes de courant et la fonte des fils électriques lorsqu'ils entrent en contact avec les lignes électriques. Un incident antérieur lors d'un défilé de retour à la maison sur la côte nord a entraîné une coupure de courant pour 2 700 clients lorsque des ballons ont touché les lignes électriques.
PG&E encourage ses clients à attacher les ballons métalliques avec des poids, à les garder à l'intérieur lorsque cela est possible et à ne jamais tenter de récupérer des ballons coincés dans les lignes électriques.
PG&E (PCG) warnt Kunden vor Sicherheitsrisiken durch heliumgefüllte Metallballons während der Abschlussfeier-Saison. In den ersten fünf Monaten des Jahres 2025 verursachten Metallballons über 130 Stromausfälle im Versorgungsgebiet von PG&E, von denen mehr als 54.000 Kunden betroffen waren. Diese Vorfälle können kritische Einrichtungen wie Krankenhäuser und Schulen beeinträchtigen.
Das Unternehmen betont, dass die silberne Beschichtung der Metallballons Strom leitet und beim Kontakt mit Stromleitungen Kurzschlüsse an Transformatoren, Stromausfälle und geschmolzene elektrische Leitungen verursachen kann. Ein früherer Vorfall während einer Heimkehr-Parade an der Nordküste führte dazu, dass 2.700 Kunden ihren Strom verloren, als Ballons Stromleitungen berührten.
PG&E fordert die Kunden auf, Metallballons mit Gewichten zu sichern, sie nach Möglichkeit drinnen zu halten und niemals zu versuchen, Ballons, die in Stromleitungen hängen, selbst zu bergen.
- None.
- Over 130 power outages caused by metallic balloons in first 5 months of 2025, affecting 54,000 customers
- Service disruptions to critical facilities including hospitals and schools
- Risk of transformer shorts and melted electrical wires causing safety hazards
Celebrate Safely During Graduation Season; Keep Metallic Balloons Weighted Down
In the first five months of 2025, metallic balloons striking electric lines have caused over 130 power outages in PG&E's service area alone, disrupting service to more than 54,000 customers. These power outages can interrupt electric service to critical facilities such as hospitals, schools and traffic lights. PG&E typically sees a spike in the number of outages caused by metallic balloons during the graduation season.
"It may look fun and festive to release balloons in the air during graduation ceremonies, but when helium-filled metallic balloons come into contact with overhead lines they can cause a widespread power outage. PG&E encourages grads to celebrate safely by keeping metallic balloons secured with weights," said Ron Richardson, PG&E Vice President of Electric Distribution.
Metallic balloons have a silvery coating, which is a conductor for electricity. If the balloons float away and make contact with power lines, they can short transformers, cause power outages and melt electrical wires, causing public safety risks. A few years ago, a homecoming parade in the North Coast turned dark after a group of metallic balloons slipped away from a float and hit a power line, which came down energized. More than 2,700 customers lost power for most of the day and the homecoming dance was cancelled.
Here's an example of what can happen when metallic balloons hit utility power lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqFm52C1n5Q
To help ensure that graduation balloon celebrations are enjoyed responsibly, PG&E reminds customers to follow these important balloon safety tips:
- "Look Up and Live!" Use caution and avoid celebrating with metallic balloons near overhead electric lines.
- Make sure helium-filled metallic balloons are securely tied to a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Never remove the weight.
- Keep metallic balloons indoors, when possible. For everyone's safety, never permit metallic balloons to be released outside.
- Do not bundle metallic balloons together.
- Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite or toy that becomes caught in a power line. Leave it alone, and immediately call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to report the problem.
- Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is dangling in the air. Always assume downed electric lines are energized and extremely dangerous. Stay far away, keep others away and immediately call 911 to alert the police and fire departments.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company
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