Mylar balloons cause massive downtown Las Vegas power outage

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - NV Energy says mylar balloons caused a power outage affecting more than 10,000 customers Sunday night.

According to an NV Energy post on X, the balloons became entangled within a substation near Charleston and Maryland Parkway, causing the outage around 8:15 p.m.

At one point, the outage affected 10,472 customers.

Crews responded to the area to clear debris and restore power, which was back up around 9:30 p.m.

NV Energy also issued a reminder about the metallic lining of mylar balloons, which can cause equipment to fail when they come into contact.

Valley residents are urged to tether balloons if using outside, and puncture when done to release the helium.

If balloons do get caught in power lines, residents are urged to call NV Energy instead of attempting to retrieve themselves.