Contact: Joe Jenkins, JJenkins@cenhud.com

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Central Hudson crews have restored power to more than 22,000 customers after a powerful line of storms moved quickly through the area Thursday evening. These storms caused widespread damage and interrupted service to nearly 42,000 homes and businesses with the most heavily impacted areas in Dutchess and Ulster counties. As of 9:45 a.m., approximately 18,000 customers were without power.

“Our crews worked throughout the night and will continue to work until the last customer is restored,” said Eric Kiszkiel, Vice President of Operations and Safety at Central Hudson. “We have secured additional mutual assistance to bring our field force to more than 500 line and line clearance workers. Some of these crews have already arrived, and we expect the remainder of them to arrive early this afternoon to help us make repairs safely and efficiently. With approximately 400 individual damage locations to address, we expect restoration efforts to last into Saturday evening.”

Central Hudson expects to have 95 percent of customers restored in at the following times:

• Dutchess County: Saturday, July 5 at 10 p.m.
• Orange County: Friday, July 4 at 10 p.m.
• Putnam County: Friday, July 4 at 10 p.m.
• Ulster County: Saturday, July 5 at 4 p.m.

Central Hudson will be distributing dry ice and bottled water for customers impacted by the storm starting at noon at the following locations:

• Topps Friendly Markets - 6726 Route 9, Rhinebeck
• Woodstock Community Center - 56 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

Central Hudson prepares for storms by preparing crews, stocking supplies and materials, communicating with community leaders and following an approved storm plan. Central Hudson also takes proactive steps before storms strike to minimize service interruptions, including enhanced vegetation management and danger tree removals, and regular maintenance and upgrades to power lines serving communities.

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: 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 X (formerly known as 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 http://www.CentralHudson.com/Safety.

ABOUT CENTRAL HUDSON

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., is an energy delivery company headquartered in Poughkeepsie, New York. The utility serves approximately 315,000 electric and 90,000 natural gas customers in eight counties of New York State’s Mid-Hudson River Valley, delivering natural gas and electricity in a 2,600-square-mile service territory that extends north from the suburbs of metropolitan New York City to the Capital District around Albany. Central Hudson supports local community service and business organizations, and
offers value-added products and services, including energy efficiency and economic development programs. For more information, visit www.CentralHudson.com. Join the conversation on Facebook, keep up with our adventures on Instagram, learn about our achievements on LinkedIn, and follow us on X.