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PRNewswire 12-Feb-2024 2:21 PM
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With Valentine's Day fast approaching, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) reminds customers that sparks – and not just the romantic kind – can fly on February 14 if improperly secured helium-filled metallic balloons come in contact with power lines.
Metallic balloons conduct electricity and if they float into powerlines, they can disrupt electric service to an entire neighborhood, cause significant property damage and potentially result in serious injuries. Here's an example of what can happen when metallic balloons become loose and hit power lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jzefJfBbNA
In 2023, metallic balloons striking electric lines caused 332 power outages in PG&E's service area, knocking out power to more than 157,000 homes and business. On average, each customer outage caused by a balloon lasted about 83 minutes.
"Balloons are a fun way to liven up Valentine's celebrations, but if they aren't tied down with a weight, it's easy for them to float into overhead power lines and disrupt service to entire communities. Keep your holidays and hometowns safe by ensuring metallic balloons are secured by a weight," said Ron Richardson, Vice President of Electric Distribution Operations at PG&E.
In order to significantly reduce the number of balloon-caused outages and to help ensure that everyone can safely enjoy their Valentine's Day, PG&E reminds customers to follow these important safety tips for metallic balloons:
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 24,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company