Sep 8, 2023
Central Hudson Crews Work to Restore Service After Damaging Storms

8:30 a.m.

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is working to make repairs after a round of powerful storms that brought damaging winds, rain and lightning to the area Thursday evening, interrupting electric service to more than 45,000 customers. More than 13,000 customers were restored overnight with approximately 30,000 customers without service as of 8:30 a.m. The majority of outages are located in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties:

  • Columbia County: 280 customers impacted
  • Dutchess County: 13,790 customers impacted
  • Greene County: 100 customers impacted
  • Orange County: 2,980 customers impacted
  • Putnam County: 230 customers impacted
  • Sullivan County: 500 customers impacted
  • Ulster County: 12,460 customers impacted

“Our crews are in the field and making repairs as safely and efficiently as possible after last night’s severe thunderstorms,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “In addition to our internal and local contracting crews, we have secured an additional 150 mutual aid line workers who will be arriving later today to help expedite repairs. With nearly 600 individual outage locations to address, we expect restoration efforts in the most heavily impacted areas to extend into the weekend.”

Current forecasts are calling for potential storms again on Friday afternoon and evening that could cause additional outages in the area. Visit hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast information.

Central Hudson has procured dry ice and bottled water for distribution this afternoon to customers who have been impacted by this storm. Times and locations for distribution will be sent out once they are finalized.

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;
  • Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer, an unopened refrigerator can keep food fresh for up to 4 hours;
  • 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.

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.