Dic 25, 2020
Central Hudson Restores Power to One-Third of Impacted Customers

Central Hudson Restores Power to One-Third of Impacted Customers Following Wind Storm

Crews from Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. continue to make progress restoring power to more than one-third of impacted customers after a destructive storm impacted much of the northeast with several inches of rain and wind gusts of more than 50 miles per hour, toppling limbs and trees onto powerlines. More than 42,600 homes and businesses within Central Hudson’s service area were impacted by the storm. As of 1:00 p.m. on Friday, crews had restored power to nearly 16,000 customers. Approximately 26,000 homes and businesses are currently without power, the majority of which are located in Dutchess and Ulster counties:

  • Columbia County – 300
  • Dutchess County – 13,700
  • Greene County – 1,275
  • Orange County – 4,550
  • Putnam County – 630
  • Ulster County – 8,345

“Our crews are continuing to restore power to our customers as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Assistant Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations. “We understand how important electric service is to families who are celebrating Christmas as well as managing the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We have a team of more than 320 line and tree professionals that includes mutual aid from Michigan, Indiana and Iowa. More mutual aid is set to arrive from Vermont this afternoon.  In addition, we have retained our local contractors and have hundreds of employees working in support roles. Though we aim to have approximately half of our customers restored by Friday evening, we will continue work through the night and into Saturday until every restoration is complete. We appreciate everyone’s patience during this incredibly trying time.” Customers may visit CentralHudson.com/Storms to report or obtain restoration status for their outage. Information will be updated as damage assessment crews continue their work.

“Customers are advised never drive through standing water on roadways, and to be aware of washouts, fallen trees and road damage caused by flooding,” Hawthorne added. “We are working with local municipal and first responders to clear roads and address hazards to ensure the safety of our customers.

Central Hudson continue to distribute dry ice on Friday until 5 p.m. at the following locations:

  • Home Depot, Fishkill – 450 Route 9, Fishkill, NY 12524
  • Rosendale Recreation Center – 1055 Route 32, Rosendale, NY 12472

The rain, coupled with snow melt, caused areas of flooding as well. 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.

“Basements, too, may become flooded, and residents should be especially cautious before entering a flooded basement or crawlspace.” He explained that electrical panels or gas piping may become compromised and create indoor hazards. “If in doubt, contact the local police, fire department or emergency responder,” Hawthorne said.

Residents are also 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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Repairs crews are addressing damage caused by a severe overnight rain and wind storm. Left – Fallen trees brought down power lines along Route 9D in Dutchess County. Middle: Flooding washed out a portion of Jewett Heights Road in Jewett, Greene County, toppling a utility pole. Right – A line crew repairs damage along Route 9D in Dutchess County.