NJ residents warned: Party balloons can cut power to thousands

⚡ Mylar balloons are a leading cause of power outages in June, especially during prom and graduation season in New Jersey.

⚡Their metallic coating conducts electricity, and even one balloon can knock out power to thousands of customers.

⚡PSE&G urges residents to secure, properly dispose of balloons, and never retrieve one from power lines.

'Tis the season in New Jersey for proms, graduations, weddings, and other joyous celebrations, and most likely, Mylar balloons will be at the heart of party celebrations.

Mylar balloons and power outages: why June is peak risk in NJ

But, June is also the most popular month for power outages caused by Mylar balloons, so when the party is over, be sure to properly dispose of these balloons, said Nelson Dias, Senior Director for Transmission and Distribution Operations at PSE&G.

Mylar balloons are coated in a metallic material, which means they can conduct electricity, Dias said.

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How Mylar balloons cause power outages and electrical hazards

“When these balloons are released outdoors, they don’t just disappear. They often come down somewhere and quite often that’s right onto a power line. And if they contact one of our power lines in our overhead distribution system, they can bring down energized lines. That’s what we like to call a face-to-face fault in the industry,” Dias said.

When that happens, it can create a short circuit, which can lead to immediate outages. In some cases, it can damage equipment like transformers and protective devices, and can even de-energize an entire circuit. For the public, that means homes and businesses can lose critical power in an instant, Dias explained.

One Mylar balloon can take out power to hundreds, even thousands of customers at once, he warned.

There have been instances where a balloon reached into PSE&G’s 69 KV power lines, where they’ve had to bring out 75-foot bucket trucks just to get the Mylar out of the power line, Dias said.

“We’ve had instances where they’ve landed in our buses in our substations, and caused a transformer trip out that have led to three or four thousand customers out of power momentarily,” he said.

Safety tips: how to prevent balloon-related outages in New Jersey

With all these issues, PSE&G is reminding customers to have fun at their joyous celebrations, but to be responsible with Mylar balloons so they don’t fly away and get caught in power lines.

Dias urged customers not to release Mylar balloons outdoors. Securing balloons with a weight is another way to mitigate the situation.

Consider some non-metallic or biodegradable options when purchasing balloons.
Whenever discarding Mylar balloons, puncture it several times to release the helium, then throw them in the garbage.

If you see a Mylar tangled up in a power line, never attempt to retrieve it yourself because the lines are energized.

Either report it your local utility or your local fire department, and proper personnel with the right equipment and training will come out and remove the balloon, Dias said.

Shared responsibility: utility urges awareness during celebration season

“We deliver safe, reliable service to our customers. The public also plays a role in that. Preventing balloon-related outages isn’t just about our infrastructure, but it’s about awareness and a shared accountability and responsibility for all of us so we can make sure we can enjoy the season,” Dias said.

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