Sep 27, 2026
Central Hudson Restoration Efforts Continue; Power Restored to More than 70% of Impacted Customers

CENTRAL HUDSON RESTORATION EFFORTS CONTINUE; POWER RESTORED TO MORE THAN 70% OF IMPACTED CUSTOMERS 

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Sept. 27, 2026, [9:30 a.m.] – Central Hudson has restored power to more than 20,000 customers affected by the powerful, slow-moving nor’easter that moved through the area over the weekend. As of 9 a.m., approximately 6,000 customers remain without power, with the greatest impacts west of the Hudson River in Ulster and Orange counties. 

“Our crews made significant progress overnight, but we know there is still work to be done,” said Eric Kiszkiel, Senior Vice President of Engineering & Operations. “Reliable electric service is essential to our communities. Our field force of nearly 350 line and line clearance professionals, including mutual aid line workers, will remain in the field until service has been restored to every customer.” 

Central Hudson expects to restore service to at least 95 percent of customers affected by Saturday’s storm by the following times:  

  • Albany County: Sunday, September 27, 4 p.m.  
  • Columbia County: Sunday, September 27, 4 p.m. 
  • Dutchess County: Sunday, September 27, 8 p.m. 
  • Greene County: Sunday, September 27, 4 p.m. 
  • Orange County: Sunday, September 27, 10 p.m. 
  • Putnam County: Sunday, September 27, 4 p.m. 
  • Sullivan County: Sunday, September 27, 4 p.m. 
  • Ulster County: Monday, September 28, 12 p.m.  

Persistent wind gusts and potentially hazardous conditions are expected through Sunday morning. These conditions could cause additional outages and may affect restoration times.  

Dry Ice and bottled water will be available to customers who were impacted by the storm starting at 11 a.m. at the following locations:  

  • Hannaford, West Hurley – 295 State Route 375, West Hurley 
  • Lowes, Highland – 600 State Route 299, Highland   

During severe weather, Central Hudson takes an “all-hands-on-deck” approach. All 1,200 employees work in the field or in support roles to help restore service as safely and quickly as possible.  

Central Hudson prepared for the nor’easter by closely monitoring weather forecasts, readying crews and support staff, stocking supplies and materials, communicating with community leaders, and following its approved storm plan. Before storms, the company works to reduce service interruptions through enhanced vegetation management, danger tree removal, and regular maintenance and upgrades to the power lines serving local communities. 

Residents should use extreme caution around downed power lines, stay at least 30 feet away and remember that lines may be entangled in or hidden by fallen limbs. Always assume any downed power line is live.  

Customers are advised to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions: 

  • Never use kitchen stoves or outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors. They pose a fire hazard and can produce carbon monoxide; 
  • Avoid opening the refrigerator unnecessarily during an outage so food stays cold longer. An unopened refrigerator can keep food cold for up to four hours; 
  • Watch for fallen trees and limbs, and use caution when traveling; 
  • Use flashlights or battery-powered lights instead of candles, which pose a fire hazard; 
  • Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions when using an emergency generator. Operate it outdoors and turn off the main breaker while the generator is in use; 
  • Never operate cars or other motor vehicles inside a garage; and 
  • Avoid unnecessary travel. Hazardous road conditions may lead to crashes, including collisions with utility poles that can cause power interruptions. 

 Customers can report outages and receive restoration updates in the following ways: 

  • By text message: Enroll in Central Hudson’s Texting Program to report an outage and receive restoration updates. Visit CentralHudson.com/Alerts or text REG to 236483 to enroll; 
  • By phone: Call Central Hudson’s PowerLine at (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714. Use the automated system to report an outage or check restoration status. 

If someone in your household relies on electricity to operate life-sustaining equipment, call Customer Service at (845) 452-2700. 

For information about storm and emergency preparedness or how to communicate with Central Hudson, visit www.CentralHudson.com. For electric and natural gas safety information, visit 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. 

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