ROSEMEAD, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Southern California Edison (SCE) is again reminding Californians this
Valentine`s Day weekend that metallic balloons, often associated with
Valentine`s Day, can cause power outages if not handled or disposed of properly.
Stray balloons can drift into high-voltage power lines, where electricity can
arc across the balloons, cause short circuits, burn wires, damage residential
and business equipment and interrupt service. These outages can last for hours
and may lead to inoperable stoplights causing traffic problems; lost production
time for customers; pose potential public safety obstacles or even cause
injuries.
"If the power goes out, of course, we`ll restore service as quickly and as
safely as possible," said Cecil House, SCE senior vice president, safety,
operations support and chief procurement officer. "But these are preventable
power outages that unnecessarily drive up costs, which are passed on to
customers. We want customers to enjoy Valentine`s Day and encourage them to
properly dispose of metallic balloons by not releasing them outdoors."
The number of metallic balloon-caused power outages in California has increased
alarmingly in recent years, going from 243 in 2000 for SCE to 569 in 2008.
During the same period, SCE customers experienced more than 3,200 metallic
balloon-caused power interruptions. These types of outages spike every February
around Valentine`s Day with 55 outages occurring last February. Customers should
keep in mind that a metallic balloon released in their neighborhood can drift,
knocking out power in communities miles away.
SCE recommends these simple safety rules for handling metallic balloons:
* Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon-or any foreign object-tangled in power
lines. Instead, call SCE at (800) 611-1911 and report the problem.
* Keep metallic balloons indoors, and never release them outside.
* Never attach metallic streamers to any balloon-latex or metallic.
* Never bundle metallic balloons together.
* Be sure to secure a helium-filled balloon with a weight heavy enough to
prevent it from drifting away. (It is unlawful to sell metallic balloons without
a string weight.)
* Never go near a downed or dangling wire. Anyone finding downed or dangling
wire should keep others away, and they should contact the police or fire
department and call SCE at (800) 611-1911 for assistance.
More information on safety and a host of other topics can be found at
www.sce.com.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is the
largest electric utility in California, serving a population of more than 13
million via 4.8 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area
within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
Southern California Edison
Media Contact:
Paul Klein, 626-302-2255
Copyright Business Wire 2009
