With graduation season underway, PECO is reminding customers to use caution when celebrating with mylar balloons.
When these foil balloons contact power lines or electric equipment, their metallic coating can cause electrical surges that can damage infrastructure, disrupt service, and impact the environment.
In 2025, there were 55 outage events in which more than 12,000 PECO customers lost power due to a mylar balloon contacting electric infrastructure. Already in 2026, 17 outages caused by foil balloons have impacted nearly 1,300 PECO customers.
These types of outages are preventable. PECO encourages customers to help reduce balloon-related power outages and ensure safety by keeping the following tips in mind:
- Foil balloons should never be released outdoors.
- Always keep balloons tethered and attached to weights.
- Properly dispose of foil balloons by puncturing the balloon to release helium that otherwise could cause the balloon to float away.
- Never touch a power line. Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon or toy that is entangled in an overhead power line. For assistance, call PECO at 1-800-841-4141.
- Always assume power lines are energized and keep yourself, your belongings, and anything you are carrying at least 10 feet away at all times.
Learn more about electrical safety, outage prevention, and other ways to help keep your family and community safe at PECO.
