LUBBOCK, Texas – Lubbock Power & Light officials are urging residents to think twice before releasing mylar balloons, warning that the popular party decoration is a leading cause of power outages across the city.
According to LP&L, mylar balloons, unlike traditional latex balloons, are made with metal, allowing them to conduct electricity. When released, the balloons can drift into overhead power lines, causing explosions, damaged equipment and widespread outages.
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“Those balloons are made of metal,” said Matt Rose, spokesperson for Lubbock Power & Light. “If you let those balloons go and they float up into our electrical lines, they’re going to cause an issue with the electricity.”
Utility officials say outages caused by mylar balloons can impact hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of customers at once, depending on which line is damaged…