PECO Reminds Customers to Celebrate Safely - Keep Foil Balloons Away from Power Lines

Warmer weather brings outdoor parties for graduations, birthdays and weddings, but it also can lead to injury and power outages if foil balloons, also known as Mylar balloons, are not securely tied and come into contact with overhead power lines.

When a foil balloon contacts a power line or a piece of electrical equipment it can become energized. Its metallic material can also cause a surge of electricity that can lead to power outages and other potentially dangerous situations.

Last year alone, foil balloons caused power outages for more than 5,750 PECO customers.

Keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Always assume power lines are energized and keep yourself, your belongings and anything you are carrying at least 10 feet away from power lines.
• Keep balloons and other decorations tethered and attached to weights at all times.
• Always properly dispose of foil balloons, safely puncturing the balloon to release the helium.
• NEVER touch a power line. Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon, toy or other type of debris that is entangled in an overhead power line. Call PECO immediately at 1-800-494-4000 to report the problem.

Learn more about power line safety by visiting peco.com/safety.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company’s 2,400 dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6 million electric and more than 511,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2015 PECO delivered 86.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 38 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 9,600 local jobs and producing $760 million in labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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