Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp, crews worked into the night restoring power to more than 18,000 homes and businesses who were impacted by Winter Storm Landon since Friday morning. The storm interrupted electric service to nearly 62,000 customers across the service area, with the vast majority of damage occurring in Ulster County. As of 9 a.m., Approximately 42,800 customers were without power with more than 650 damage locations remaining, primarily in Ulster County. 

• Dutchess County: 280
• Greene County: 15
• Orange County: 30
• Ulster County: 42,230

The storm brought snow and ice to the region Thursday night and most of the day Friday, in some areas more than .6 inches of radial ice accumulated, nearly twice that of the initial weather forecasts. The ice weighed down trees and tree limbs, causing them to topple onto powerlines and interrupt electric service.

“We have amassed a field force of more than 680 line and tree professionals who are working to restore power to our customers as quickly and safely as possible,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “We expect our crews to make significant progress throughout the day on Saturday, but the damage sustained by this storm has been extensive.”

Central Hudson expects to have power restored to 95 percent of impacted customers by:

• Dutchess County – 12 p.m. Saturday, February 5
• Orange County – 12 p.m. Saturday, February 5
• Sullivan County – 10 p.m. Sunday, February 6
• Ulster County 12 p.m. Monday, February 7

“The hazardous conditions persisted through most of the day yesterday, so we are still in the early stages of restoration. Our crews will continue to work to restore our customers sooner than our projections,” Hawthorne added. 

Central Hudson will distribute dry ice and bottled water starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the following locations:

• Hudson Valley Mall on Route 9W, Town Ulster in the former Best Buy parking lot
• Rosendale Recreation Center, 1055 Route 32, Rosendale
• Woodstock Community Center, 56 Rock City Rd., Woodstock

Alternatively, in the winter perishable foods can be preserved by being placed in coolers, and the cooler placed outdoors in a protected and secure location.

Weather forecasts call for falling temperatures, with frigid conditions expected Saturday and Saturday Night. “Extreme cold poses an added risk to our most vulnerable customers,” said Hawthorne. “Central Hudson continues to partner with our local officials and first responders in order to ensure our customers remain safe.”

Residents are reminded to check in on their neighbors as well. Also, as cold temperatures can pose a risk to plumbing, residents may wish to consider allowing faucets to drip and/or opening faucets.

Ulster County has also set up warming centers for those in need at the following locations:

Ulster County Warming Center Locations 

Kingston 

Andy Murphy Center 

467 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401

2nda Iglesia La Mision Church 

80 Elmendorf St, Kingston NY 12401

New Paltz

SUNY New Paltz Elting Gymnasium 

1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561 

Saugerties 

Frank D. Greco Memorial Senior Citizen Recreation Center 

207 Market St, Saugerties, NY 12477

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

• 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.
• 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.
• Visit hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast information.

Customer should avoid cold weather hazards by:

• Exercising care when using space heaters by keeping them away from flammable materials such as paper or curtains, placing them out of areas of foot traffic, and shutting them off when not in use;
• Clearing ice that has the potential to fall, particularly near doorways and around utility meters, and keeping meters free of snow by lightly brushing them with a broom;
• Keeping chimneys and flues clear of ice, snow and other obstructions to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the home; and
• Exercise caution when outdoors or avoid spending time outside when possible.

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.

#          #          #

Mutual aid crews work to clear fallen trees and limbs in Ulster County on Friday.

Crews work to restore service to a home in Salt Point, Dutchess County on Friday.

Central Hudson Crews work to repair a damage location in Woodstock, Ulster County.