PG&E to Customers: Let Hearts Soar on Valentine’s Day, Not Metallic Balloons
February 11 2020 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
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 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, melt electric wires and cause
power outages, all of which pose public safety risks.
In 2019, metallic balloons striking electric lines caused 376
power outages in PG&E’s service area alone, disrupting electric
service to more than 179,000 homes and businesses.
“What’s the single worst thing that can happen on Valentine’s
Day? Getting dumped. But a close second is a widespread power
outage. We encourage our customers to celebrate Valentine’s Day
responsibly by securing metallic balloons with a weight that’s
heavy enough to prevent them from floating away,” said Walt Posey,
Director, Electric Operations Safety.
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:
- “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.
- When possible, keep metallic balloons indoors. Never permit
metallic balloons to be released outside, for everyone's
safety.
- 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.
Other tips can be found at pge.com/beprepared
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 20,000 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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