Central Hudson crews have restored power to more than 10,000 customers after a line of powerful storms caused significant damage, particularly in Ulster and Dutchess Counties, interrupting service to more than 39,000 customers on Sunday night. As of 8:30 a.m., approximately 23,000 customers are without power.

“Our crews are working to address more than 500 individual damage locations after a line of severe thunderstorms brought winds of over 50 miles per hour to portions of our service area,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “Along with our full complement of internal crews and contractors, we have secured mutual assistance from Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and New York. This field force of more than 650 line and tree professionals will be working throughout the day to restore power as safely and efficiently as possible.”  

“Given the severity of the storm, we expect restoration efforts to extend through Tuesday, especially in the most heavily impacted areas,” Hawthorne added. “We are also monitoring the potential for additional severe storms on Monday that could bring winds of up to 55 miles per hour. These conditions could create additional outages and have an impact on restoration times.”

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

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.