Mar 15, 2023
Central Hudson Restores Service to More than 80 Percent of Impacted Customers

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. crews made significant progress Tuesday night, restoring power to more than 38,000 customers after a slow-moving nor’easter dumped heavy wet snow and brought gusty winds to the area, interrupting service to more than 46,000 homes and businesses. As of 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, approximately 6,100 customers are without service with the majority of remaining outages located in Dutchess County (3,495) and Columbia County (1,029).

“We are pleased with the progress we were able to make in hazardous conditions on Tuesday, but we know there is still work to be done,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “With the help of mutual assistance crews from several different states, we will have a field force of more than 840 line and line clearance professionals working throughout the day and into the night today to address approximately 400 individual outage locations. Though the hardest hit areas of Dutchess and Columbia counties will have outages extending into Thursday, our crews will continue to work until the last impacted customer is restored.”

Central Hudson expects to have power restored to 95 percent of impacted customers by:

  • Albany County –          Wednesday, March 15 at 10 p.m.
  • Greene County –         Wednesday, March 15 at 10 p.m.
  • Ulster County –          Wednesday, March 15 at 10 p.m.
  • Putnam County –          Wednesday, March 15 at 10 p.m.
  • Columbia County –          Thursday, March 16 at 10 p.m.
  • Dutchess County –          Thursday, March 16 at 10 p.m.
  • Sullivan County –          Customers Restored
  • Orange County –          Customers Restored

The forecast continues to call for wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour in some areas, meaning additional outages are possible.

Dry ice and bottled water distribution will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the following locations:

  • Tops Supermarket, 6726 US-9, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
  • Home Depot, 450 US-9, Fishkill, NY 12524
  • Ancram Town Hall, 1416 County Rd. 7, Ancram NY 12502

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 www.CentralHudson.com/Storms to report outages and obtain restoration updates;
  • Mobile App: A free Central Hudson mobile application is available for Android and Apple devices at www.CentralHudson.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.

 

Wappingers mutual aid crews March 2023

Crews work into the night to restore power on Nelson Avenue in Wappingers Falls.