LATEST UPDATE: Mylar balloon sparks Bend power outage—now resolved
(UPDATE - February 1st: power outage caused by Mylar balloon according to Pacific Power)
(UPDATE: power has been restored to all affected residents)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Mylar balloon caused a power outage affecting 1,615 Pacific Power customers on Bend's northeast side Saturday evening, but service has been fully restored, this according to the electric utility company.
The outage struck the 97701 ZIP code area, first reported at 6:47 p.m. PST on January 31. Crews arrived quickly, identified a helium-filled Mylar balloon tangled on a power line, removed it, and restored power just after 11 p.m. that night.
Mylar balloons, also known as foil balloons, are shiny, non-stretchable, and durable items made from metallic BoPET film (biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate). Their conductive surface can short-circuit lines when they drift into them via helium lift.
Why Mylar balloons are a hazard
These balloons frequently cause outages nationwide, as their metallic coating conducts electricity and sparks on contact with power lines. Pacific Power and other utilities report thousands of such incidents yearly, sometimes affecting thousands of customers or igniting fires. In Oregon, similar events have hit areas like Hood River and Burns.
Local impacts included flickers near Butler Market Road and High Desert Lane.
- Never release foil balloons outdoors—deflate and trash them.
- Report stray balloons or downed lines to Pacific Power at 888-763-4232 or text OUT to 722797.
- Check the outage map at pacificpower.net/outages.
No injuries or further disruptions were reported. KTVZ News will monitor for updates.
Status update:
KTVZ News has reviewed Pacific Power's outage map which says all residents who had lost power and affected by the power outage on Saturday, has been restore.
KTVZ has reached out to Pacific Power for the cause of the outage. Watch this space for any new updates.
Earlier report:
Pacific Power is investigating a power outage impacting 1,615 customers on the northeast side of Bend in ZIP code 97701. The outage was first reported at 6:47 p.m. today, with crews notified and working to restore service before 10 p.m. tonight.
Outage Information:
- Customers affected: 1,615
- Location: Northeast Bend (97701)
- First report: 6:47 p.m. PST
- Estimated restoration: Before 10 p.m. PST
- Status: Crews on site, cause under investigation
Local reports confirm flickers and outages near areas like Butler Market and High Desert Lane, with Pacific Power estimating full restoration soon.
Residents should check the Pacific Power outage map or text OUT to 722797 for updates. Stay clear of downed lines and report issues promptly. Power outages in Bend have occurred recently due to equipment issues or weather, but this one's cause remains unknown.
KTVZ News will update as crews provide more info.
