Central Hudson has mobilized a workforce of approximately 1,000 people in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, which interrupted electric service to nearly 180,000 Central Hudson customers throughout the mid-Hudson Valley region on Sunday. The storm was the second worst in the utility’s more than century-long history, with a peak number of customer outages at any one time of 115,000. Due to the extent of damage, it may be days before utility officials can estimate how long it will take to repair electric systems in the hardest-hit communities.

“While no part of our service territory was spared Irene’s wrath, Ulster County was clearly the most devastated area, with 72 roads closed on Monday morning, and a number of bridges simply washed away. Greene County also experienced a tremendous amount of damage from Irene’s violent winds, torrential rains and unprecedented flooding,” said James P. Laurito, Central Hudson’s President. 

“Due to the extreme flooding conditions, we are struggling to assess damage in some of the most heavily impacted portions of some communities – and we’re especially grateful to the municipal crews who are working alongside our field forces to ensure the safety of the public,” he said. Laurito advised customers, particularly those in the hard-hit areas, that they should make alternate arrangements for shelter due to what will surely be a prolonged restoration effort.

As of 3:00 p.m. on Monday, there were approximately 87,000 customers who remained without electricity, in locations scattered throughout eight counties.   Laurito said preliminary reports from the field indicate that as many as 62 broken poles will need to be replaced, 40 of them in Greene County. He also estimated that as many as 800 sections of electric line are down and must be re-strung, noting that the entire electric system of some isolated communities may need to be reconstructed in order to restore service.

Meanwhile, Central Hudson officials continue to warn local residents that serious flooding conditions also have the potential to undermine the stability of underground pipelines; they remind customers who may see damage in the vicinity of pipelines and/or who may smell the odor of natural gas to report the condition via the utility’s Gas Odor Hotline: 1-800-942-8274.

“It is very possible that homes or other structures may have shifted due to flooding, and that the underground natural gas system may be impacted – causing a potentially dangerous situation. Customers must notify us immediately if they suspect any portion of the natural gas system is in danger,” said Laurito.

 Laurito also reminded customers of the importance of staying away from downed lines and being alert to the possibility that fallen trees or structures may hide energized electric lines. He also cautioned customers to be aware of the lethal potential of flooded basements that may conduct electricity if an electrical panel or appliance has been submerged in water, and to recognize the danger of standing water that could potentially conduct electricity.

If power is lost, customers should call Central Hudson’s PowerLine at (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714 to report their power condition, and are encouraged to use the automated reporting system. Customers with access to a computer may also report their power condition via the utility’s website, www.CentralHudson.com, by using the StormCentral function. Information regarding service restoration estimates, as it becomes available, can be obtained by phone and on-line, and updates are posted on Facebook and Twitter. A mobile version of the utility’s website, including StormCentral, can be accessed by web enabled cell phones and mobile devices at http://mobile.CentralHudson.com. Free Central Hudson mobile applications for Android-based and Apple devices are also available by logging onto www.CentralHudson.com/mobileapp.

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