Mar 8, 2022
Central Hudson Restores Power to Nearly 85% of Customers Impacted by Windstorm

Crews from Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. have restored power to nearly 85% of homes and businesses who were impacted by the powerful windstorm that moved through the area on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Electric service was interrupted to more than 26,100 customers as a result of the severe weather. As of 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, approximately 4,100 Central Hudson customers are without power with the majority of outages located in Greene County (1,026) and Ulster County (2,952).

“Our crews have made significant progress in making repairs and restoring service to customers throughout our service area,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “We recognize that electric service is critical to our customers and will continue to work until the last customer has their power back.”

A low-pressure system moved into the region on Monday night bringing a line of thunderstorms and powerful wind gusts of over 50 miles per hour to some areas. These winds toppled trees and tree limbs onto powerlines causing outages throughout Central Hudson’s service area.

Central Hudson expects to have service restored to 95 percent of impacted customers inf the following counties by:

  • Albany: 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9
  • Greene: 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9
  • Ulster: 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9

 

Dry Ice and bottled water will be distributed at the following locations from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. this evening for those in need:

  • Greene County Emergency Operations Center - Overflow parking lot, 25 Volunteer Drive, Cairo, NY
  • Woodstock Community Center – 56 Rock City Rd., Woodstock, NY

Residents are advised to exercise an abundance of caution around downed power lines by staying at least 30 feet away, and remember that downed lines can become entangled and hidden in fallen limbs. Residents should also remember to assume any downed power lines are live.

Customers are advised to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions:

  • Never use kitchen stoves or outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors, as they pose a fire hazard and over time can give off carbon monoxide gas;
  • Beware of fallen trees and limbs, and use caution when traveling;
  • Avoid the use of candles for illumination due to fire hazards;
  • Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions on the use of emergency generators, and be sure to shut off the main breaker when in use and operate the units outdoors;
  • Operate cars and motor vehicles outdoors only, and never inside the garage; and
  • Avoid travel along roadways as hazardous conditions may cause driving accidents, including those involving utility poles which may cause power interruptions.
  • Visit hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast information.

 

Customer should avoid cold weather hazards by:

  • Exercising care when using space heaters by keeping them away from flammable materials such as paper or curtains, placing them out of areas of foot traffic, and shutting them off when not in use;
  • Clearing ice that has the potential to fall, particularly near doorways and around utility meters, and keeping meters free of snow by lightly brushing them with a broom;
  • Keeping chimneys and flues clear of ice, snow and other obstructions to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the home; and
  • Exercise caution when outdoors or avoid spending time outside when possible.

Customers can stay informed of storm and restoration conditions in the following ways:

  • By text messaging: Customers should enroll in Central Hudson’s Texting Program to use text messaging to report their power condition and to obtain repair status. To enroll, visit CentralHudson.com/Alerts or text REG to 236483;
  • On the Web: Visit CentralHudson.com/Storms to report outages and obtain restoration updates;
  • Via smart phones: A mobile version of the Central Hudson’s website can be accessed by web-enabled cell phones and mobile devices at https://mobile.CenHud.com. Updated free Central Hudson mobile applications are available for Android and Apple devices by logging onto www.cenhud.com/mobileapp;
  • Through social media: “Like” Central Hudson on Facebook (Facebook.com/CentralHudson) and “Follow” on Twitter (Twitter.com/CentralHudson); and
  • By phone: Call the Central Hudson PowerLine at (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714, and please use the automated system to report or monitor your power condition.
  • If a member of your household needs electricity to operate life sustaining equipment, please contact customer service at (845) 452-2700.

More information on preparing for storms and emergencies and communicating with Central Hudson is available at www.CentralHudson.com; for information regarding electric and natural gas safety, visit www.CentralHudson.com/Safety.

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