Schools are in full swing celebrating the graduation season, but Southern California Edison is telling people to not turn the celebration into a blast—with metallic balloon-caused power outages.
Over the past five years, May and June—the graduation months—have statistically made up almost a third of foil balloon outages each year, according to the utility company. It was reported that 1.6 million customers of Edison were affected in 2021 alone and lost over 480 hours of power.
In 2017, there were 1,094 Edison balloon outages, which increased to 1,103 in 2021. The first year of the pandemic, 2020, had the lowest number, at 1,005, as graduation and parties were canceled or stifled.
In one notable incident in July 2017, a metallic balloon collided with an electrical pole and caused a power outage that affected 3,000 homes and businesses.
“The damage was extensive,” and repair work began in the early morning, but power wasn’t restored till the evening, Edison spokesman Reggie Kumar told NTD Television.
When emphasizing the importance of this subject, Kumar said the utility company “really wants to encourage people to keep safety top of mind.”
When foil balloons—made of nylon and a metallic coating—collide with electrical equipment, they can let off a small explosion and sometimes bring down power lines.
Downed powerlines can cause serious injury or death and ignite fires to cause severe property damages, and the power outage alone can cause thousands of dollars to repair, according to a May 18 statement from Edison.
Hannah Dilanchyan, a Brea resident and recent graduate of Biola University, told The Epoch Times it’s important for people to care for their belongings, but these incidents were “just part of living in the city.”
She named wind, kids, and pets as outside factors that could make it difficult to prevent balloons from accidentally taking flight.
Following California State Law, residents should tie balloons to a sufficient weight and never release them into the air. Violators can receive a fine of up to $100 as reparation.
Edison suggests community members follow the state law or simply keep balloons indoors and puncture them before disposing of them.
If anyone sees a balloon entangled in electrical equipment, Edison advises them to never interfere with it and instead call 911 to address the issue.
