Press Release:

Central Hudson Crews Work to Restore Outages in the Wake of Tropical Storm Isaias

Crews from Central Hudson Gas & Electric continue to make progress in restoring electric service to customers who were affected by the heavy rains and damaging winds associated with Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday. Nearly 115,000 homes and businesses served by Central Hudson experienced power interruptions throughout the region on Tuesday. The storm caused widespread damage throughout the northeast, impacting 3.7 million homes and businesses and more than 770,000 in New York State alone.

Central Hudson crews restored power to nearly 26,000 customers overnight. As of 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, approximately 89,000, customers are still without electricity, primarily in southern Dutchess County and Orange County:

·Columbia County: 1,160

·Dutchess County: 42,350

·Orange County: 31,800

·Putnam County: 2,800

·Ulster County: 11,250

Full service restoration is expected to be completed over several days, and potentially into the weekend. Nearly 500 line workers and tree personnel, including mutual aid crews, are available to repair a reported 1,170 damage locations, with hundreds of additional employees and personnel working in various support roles.

Central Hudson’s online services have been restored, after damaged equipment was repaired by a third-party Internet provider.

Regular ice, dry ice and bottled water will be available beginning at noon today at the following locations. Dry ice will be available at the Newburgh site only, as there is a regional shortage:

·Regular Ice and bottled water: Poughkeepsie Home Depot, 3470 North Rd., Poughkeepsie 12601 (Stage between Home Depot and Ocean State Job Lot)

·Dry Ice and bottled water: Dan Leghorn Fire Dept., 426 S. Plank Rd., Newburgh 12550 (Enter from Lakeside Rd., exit to Route 52)

“Our utility crews and staff are hard at work repairing the remaining power outages in our service area,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Assistant Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “All of our crews and personnel will continue to practice social distancing and proper CDC protocols to protect the health of our crews and the public while we work to return service as quickly and safely as possible.”

Residents are reminded to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and to remember that lines can become entangled and hidden in fallen tree limbs. Residents are also urged to avoid standing or running water, as fallen wires could be hidden beneath. Motorists should also be aware of the potential for downed limbs and power lines that may block roadways, and should never attempt to drive over or around downed power lines.

Hawthorne urged customers to keep safety in mind, particularly during power interruptions:

Stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines, and remember that lines may be entangled and hidden in fallen trees. Assume all downed lines are live;
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 or 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 who have experienced flooding should take extra care before entering basements or crawlspacesElectrical panels or gas piping may become compromised and create indoor hazards. Customers who are unsure should contact local, police, fire department or first responders, Hawthorne said.

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 CentralHudson.com/mobileapp;
Through social media: “Like” Central Hudson on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/CentralHudson) and “Follow” on Twitter (www.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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