Nov 16, 2020
Central Hudson Restores Electric Service Following Damaging Storm

A fast moving, powerful storm front interrupted electric service last night throughout the region to more than 17,000 customers of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. Utility crews worked through the night to repair damage, and as of 8:30 a.m. this morning, electric service has been restored to more than 13,000 of the impacted homes and businesses.

Repair crews will continue to work throughout the day to restore service, and power is expected to be returned to the vast majority of customers by 11 p.m. tonight in the hardest-hit areas. The majority of the remaining 3,900 outages by county are as follows:

  • Dutchess County: approximately 1,700
  • Orange County: approximately 1,100
  • Ulster County: approximately 1,100

"We thank our customers for their patience as we repair storm damage and restore electric service,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Assistant Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. In this current environment, Central Hudson electric line crews and support staff are practicing social distancing to keep utility workers and the public safe. “We realize many of our customers are at home and rely on electric service for work, school and essential services, and we are committed to completing restoration as quickly and safely as possible,” he said.

Hawthorne cautioned residents to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and remember that lines may be entangled and hidden in fallen trees and limbs. “Assume all downed lines are live and keep a wide distance from fallen trees and limbs,” he said.

Motorists should also be on the watch for downed limbs and power lines that may block roadways and should never attempt to drive over or around downed power lines.

Hawthorne urged customers to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions:

  • Stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and remember that lines may be entangled and hidden in fallen trees. Assume all downed lines are live;
  • 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 or 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: 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. Free Central Hudson mobile applications for Android and Apple and are also available by logging onto CentralHudson.com/mobileapp;
  • Through social media:  “Like” Central Hudson on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/CentralHudson) and “Follow” on Twitter (www.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. 

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.

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