Jul 6, 2026
Central Hudson's Round the Clock Restoration Efforts Continue Following July 4th Storms
More than half of impacted customers restored as of Monday morning.

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – July, 6 2026, [9 a.m.] – Central Hudson Gas & Electric crews have restored power to more than half of the customers impacted by a line of powerful storms that caused widespread damage throughout the Hudson Valley on the evening of July 4. As of 9 a.m. on Monday, Central Hudson crews have restored power to more than 28,000 customers. Approximately 27,000 homes and businesses remain without power, with the most heavily impacted areas in the Town and City of Poughkeepsie, La Grange and Hyde Park in Dutchess County.  

“The severe storms that impacted our service area on Saturday evening caused significant damage throughout our service area. We have a field force of more than 500 line and line clearance workers who continue to clear hazards, repair damaged equipment and restore power as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Eric Kiszkiel, Senior Vice President of Engineering & Operations. “With more than 600 damage locations remaining, there remains a significant amount of work ahead of us, but we will not stop until every customer has their power restored.”

Central Hudson expects to have the vast majority of customers impacted by the storm restored by the following times:

  • Columbia County: July 6 at 10 p.m.
  • Dutchess County: July 7 at 10 p.m.
  • Orange County: July 6 at 4 p.m.
  • Putnam County: July 6 at 12 p.m.
  • Sullivan County: July 6 at 10 p.m.
  • Ulster County: July 7 at 4 p.m.

Central Hudson will continue to distribute dry ice and bottled water beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday at the following locations:

  • Accord Municipal Lot (Next to Firehouse) – 22 Main Street, Accord, NY
  • Home Depot, Poughkeepsie – 3470 North Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY
  • Stanford Fire House – 6096 Route 82, Stanfordville, NY

Central Hudson prepares for storms by readying crews, stocking supplies and materials, communicating with community leaders and following an approved storm plan. The company also takes proactive steps before storms strike to minimize service interruptions, including0 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. They should also remember to assume that 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;
  • Avoid 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.