Aug 9, 2024
Central Hudson Crews Work to Restore Service as Remnants of Hurricane Debby Makes Way Through the Hudson Valley

6:45 p.m. 

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. is working to make repairs after the remnants of Hurricane Debby brought damaging winds, rain and flooding to the Hudson Valley area on Friday, interrupting electric service to more than 19,000 customers. The majority of outages are located in Dutchess (approximately 5,600 customers impacted) and Greene (approximately 7,600 customers impacted) Counties.

“Our field force of more than 400 line and line clearance workers are making repairs as safely and efficiently as possible during Friday’s severe weather,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “With more than 280 individual outage locations to address, we expect restoration efforts to continue throughout the day Saturday, while the most heavily impacted areas may extend into early Sunday.”

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch through 10 p.m.  in our service territory as some of the thunderstorms bring along strong wind gusts potentially up to 65 mph from the eastern direction. Visit hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast information.

Heavy flooding may undermine natural gas lines and customers are urged to report gas odors they may detect by doing the following:

  • STOP what they are doing. Do not light or use a match. Do not turn lights on or off or use a flashlight, cell phone or telephone. Do not turn on any other appliance or electric/electronic device and do not flush or run water.
  • GO outside immediately.
  • LET US KNOW by calling our gas odor hotline at 1-800-942-8274, or call 911.

Central Hudson prepares for storms by preparing crews, stocking supplies and materials, communicating with community leaders and following an approved storm plan. Central Hudson also takes proactive steps before storms strike to minimize service interruptions, including enhanced vegetation management and danger tree removals, and regular maintenance and upgrades to power lines serving communities.

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;
  • Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer, an unopened refrigerator can keep food fresh for up to 4 hours;
  • 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:  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 X (formerly known as 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.