Central Hudson engineers assessing transmission lines
Home > Storms & Outages > Prevention & Repair > Minimizing Outages

Minimizing Outages

How we deliver greater than 99.9% electric reliability

Keeping the lights on is something our customers depend on every day, and it’s a responsibility Central Hudson takes seriously.

We provide electric service to approximately 300,000 homes and businesses across a 2,600‑square‑mile area of the Mid‑Hudson Valley, serving parts of eight counties. Our electric system includes 629 miles of transmission lines, more than 7,300 miles of overhead power lines, and 1,400 miles of underground lines, along with customer service lines and meters. As a result, the typical customer experiences reliable electric service more than 99.9% of the time.

maintaining a strong and modern electric grid

This level of reliability is achieved through ongoing system maintenance and targeted upgrades across our electric grid. Our crews routinely inspect, repair, and refurbish power lines, and upgrade facilities in areas where energy use has grown to ensure the system can safely meet demand. When you see Central Hudson crews working in your neighborhood, they’re performing essential work to support safe, dependable electric service for your community.

investing in grid modernization

We continue to strengthen reliability through grid modernization investments, including:

  • Expanded vegetation management to reduce outages caused by trees and limbs contacting power lines
  • Smart automation technology that can reroute electricity and restore power quickly, reducing the duration and impact of outages

why outages sometimes happen

While outages are uncommon, they most often occur during severe weather. Trees and falling limbs are the leading cause of power outages in the Mid‑Hudson Valley. With more than 60% of the region covered by trees, proactive vegetation management is one of the most important ways we protect electric reliability. Outages can also result from accidents, such as vehicles striking utility poles.

proactive tree management

storms_minimizing_tree1.jpgCentral Hudson maintains a year‑round vegetation management program designed to reduce outages while preserving the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley. This program includes routine tree trimming along power lines, identifying and removing hazardous or diseased trees, and prioritizing areas that experience repeated outages.

Our forestry and line clearance teams use data and system performance trends to focus work where it will have the greatest reliability impact. When possible, tree trimming is coordinated with other grid upgrades and planned in advance to minimize disruption to customers.

restoring power as quickly as possible 

When outages do occur, Central Hudson uses advanced technology and emergency preparedness to restore service safely and efficiently. Our Outage Management System (OMS) helps pinpoint outage locations, deploy crews faster, and provide estimated restoration times through our Storm Central Outage Map, which is updated regularly during outage events.

We also conduct regular storm drills to prepare crews and support teams for severe weather and coordinate closely with local emergency and municipal officials to ensure a rapid, organized response.