Jul 25, 2022
Central Hudson Restores Power to More than 30,000 Customers After Sunday Storms

Central Hudson has restored service to nearly 85 percent of customers after nearly 40,000 homes and businesses were left without power due to Sunday’s severe thunderstorms. As of 5:30 p.m., approximately 6,500 customers were without service, with the majority located in Ulster and Dutchess Counties.

“Our Crews have made tremendous progress in safely and efficiently restoring customers, but with hundreds of damage locations remaining, we know there is still work to be done,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “Our field force of 680 line and tree clearance professionals will work into the night and we expect to have the vast majority of customers restored by end of day tomorrow.”  

Central Hudson anticipates 95% of customers will have power restored by the following dates and times:

  • Columbia County: Monday, July 25, 10 p.m.
  • Dutchess County: Tuesday, July 26, 2 p.m.
  • Ulster County: Tuesday, July 26, 8 p.m.

Counties not listed have already been restored to 95 percent or greater. Visit www.stormcentral.cenhud.com for detailed outage information.

Central Hudson will continue to distribute dry ice and bottled water to customers until 8 p.m. on Monday at the following locations:

  • Rosendale Recreation Center – 1055 Route 32, Rosendale
  • Home Depot, Poughkeepsie – 3470 North Rd., Poughkeepsie

“Most of our service area remains under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. and we are closely monitoring conditions,” Hawthorne added. “Any additional storm activity could have an impact on restoration times and create additional outages.”

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.

Hawthorne reminded residents to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions:

  • Never use 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.

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.

 

Crews work to make repairs in Cold Spring on Monday following a round of powerful storms moved through the area on Sunday evening.