Sep 9, 2023
More than 52,000 Customers Restored as Crews Look to Complete Restoration

5:30

Central Hudson crews have restored power to more than 95 percent of the 55,000 homes and businesses impacted by Thursday and Friday’s severe weather. As of 4 p.m. approximately 2,100 customers were without power, with the majority of outages located in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties.

  • Dutchess County:       400 customers impacted
  • Orange County:          370 customers impacted
  • Ulster County:            1,297 customers impacted

“Weather conditions throughout the day have helped our crews make significant progress in restoring customers,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “Our field force of more than 500 line and tree clearance professionals will continue into the night to address the remaining outages and we remain confident the vast majority of impacted customers will be restored by end of day.”

“We understand how critical electric service is to our customers and we appreciate their understanding as we work to complete these restorations,” Hawthorne added. “I’d also like to thank our state, county and local officials for their assistance in restoration efforts and for keeping our communities safe.”

Customers looking for an estimated time of restoration for an outage can do so by visiting Central Hudson’s outage map at  https://outagemap.cenhud.com/. Estimated times of restoration by municipality on the summary tab of the outage map indicate at least 95 percent of impacted customers will be restored by that time.

Current weather models are calling for isolated thunderstorms again on Saturday, though they are not expected to be as strong as the storms that impacted the area on Thursday or Friday. Visit www.hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast.

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;
  • 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 prepare for storms and potential electric service interruptions by:

  • Paying attention to weather advisories, storm outage updates and/or shelter information.
  • Charging electronic devices in order to connect with Storm Central, Central Hudson’s outage information and reporting site;
  • Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer, an unopened refrigerator can keep food fresh for 4 hours;
  • Keeping handy a flashlight and fresh batteries;
  • Having a battery-powered radio to remain informed of restoration efforts;
  • Confirming adequate packaged or canned foods that require no refrigeration or cooking;
  • Having a non-electric can opener;
  • Keeping an emergency supply of bottled water on hand for drinking and washing; and
  • Filling bathtubs with water as added reserves.

 

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.

#          #          #