Crews from Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. are deployed and working to restore power after an ice storm interrupted electric service to more than 5,000 homes and businesses Monday night. As of 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday approximately 3,800 customers are without power with the majority of outages occurring in Dutchess, Sullivan and Ulster counties:
- Albany County – 111 customers affected
- Dutchess County – 535 customers affected
- Sullivan County – 1,156 customers affected
- Ulster County – 1,930 customers affected
“We know how important electric service is to our customers, especially during the winter months. Our team of 275 line and tree professionals, along with hundreds of employees working in support roles are working as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “We expect to have most if not all homes and businesses that are currently without power restored by this evening.
“I’d also like to remind customers that our crews are practicing social distancing in an effort to keep our communities safe. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we make repairs in these hazardous conditions,” Hawthorne added.
Wintry conditions moved into the Mid-Hudson Valley late Monday night bringing freezing rain and accumulating ice to much of the region, with the heaviest icing taking place in the Neversink area in Western Ulster and Sullivan Counties. The storm has had widespread impacts nationally, leaving several million homes and businesses without power from Texas to the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.
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.
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 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.
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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