Watch what happens when Mylar balloons touch power lines
Balloons and Outages: NV Energy Demonstration
Lines trainers Mark Schilling, left, and Jim Hoffman show what happens when a Mylar balloon makes contact with energized power lines during a demonstration at the NV Energy Ryan Operations Center in Las Vegas Monday, March 29, 2021. The helium-filled balloons coated with a metallic finish, are one of the leading causes of power outages in southern Nevada. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Lines trainers Mark Schilling, left, and Jim Hoffman show what happens when a Mylar balloon makes contact with energized power lines during a demonstration at the NV Energy Ryan Operations Center in Las Vegas Monday, March 29, 2021. The helium-filled balloons coated with a metallic finish, are one of the leading causes of power outages in southern Nevada. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Shahzad Lateef, NV Energy vice president of electric delivery, during a Mylar balloon demonstration at the NV Energy Ryan Operations Center in Las Vegas Monday, March 29, 2021. The helium-filled balloons coated with a metallic finish, are one of the leading causes of power outages in southern Nevada. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Updated March 31, 2021 - 12:35 pm
Mylar balloons are part of a lot of parties and celebrations, but NV Energy considers them an unwelcome guest.
The utility says the helium-filled balloons coated with a metallic finish are one of the leading causes of power outages in Southern Nevada.
NV Energy urges consumers to puncture their Mylar balloons when they are done with them, rather than releasing them into the air, where they can float into electrical equipment.
Contact Paul Pearson at ppearson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EditorPaulP on Twitter.
