Power restored in Monroe and Orleans counties; National Grid says balloons were to blame

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — National Grid says balloons were to blame for the 4,400 power outages in Monroe County and 2,000 power outages in Orleans County on Friday morning. Power has been restored to all those customers.

National Grid told News10NBC that a cluster of Mylar balloons got caught on a distribution line in West Hamlin just after 4:30 a.m. Crews restored power about two and half hours later.

According to the utility provider’s website, most of the outages in Monroe County were in Hamlin with a total of 3,831. There were also 572 in Clarkson. In Orleans County, most of the outages were in Kendall with a total of 1,326. There were also 379 in Murray and 343 in Carlton.

National Grid says outages caused by Mylar balloons – the shiny, colorful balloons common at parties – are far from rare. When they float away, the balloons may get tangled on power lines, cause an electrical surge, and blow the circuit. That’s because Mylar is a metal coating that conducts electricity. Mylar hitting a power line can not only cause outages but can also spark an electrical fire.