A
powerful storm system impacted eastern states yesterday, bringing
severe winds and driving rain to the Mid-Hudson Valley, and interrupting
electric service to a total of 41,000 Central Hudson customers.
At
the height of the storm, power outages affected nearly 32,000 customers
Tuesday evening in the hardest hit areas as follows: 14,000 in Dutchess
County; 8,900 in Ulster County; 4,500 in Orange County; and 1,600 in
Putnam County. Saturating rain and wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per
hour caused extensive tree damage, breaking limbs and toppling trees
onto power lines.
Line
crews worked throughout the day and night yesterday on the nearly 380
damage locations, restoring electric service to nearly 20,000 customers,
and are expected to continue repair work today and Thursday. As of 8:00
a.m. this morning, 12,700 customers remain without service in the
hardest hit areas as follows: 7,600 in Dutchess County; 3,230 in Ulster
County; 1,235 in Orange County; and 240 in Putnam County.
Customers
without electric service should call Central Hudson’s PowerLine at
(845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714 to report their power condition, and
they are encouraged to use the automated reporting system. Customers
with access to a computer may also report their power condition via www.CentralHudson.com
by using the StormCentral function. Information regarding service
restoration estimates, as it becomes available, can be obtained by phone
and on-line, and updates are posted on Facebook and Twitter. A mobile
version of the utility’s website, including StormCentral, can be
accessed by web-enabled cell phones and mobile devices at http://mobile.CentralHudson.com. Free Central Hudson mobile applications for Android, Apple and Blackberry devices are also available by logging onto www.CentralHudson.com/mobileapp.
Customers are advised to keep safety in mind during any storm emergency, including:
- Keep
away from downed power lines, and lines which may be entangled and
hidden in fallen trees. Assume all downed lines are live;
- Avoid the use of candles for illumination;
- Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions on the use of emergency generators, and operating the units outdoors; and
- Never
use outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors, as they pose a fire hazard
and over time can give off deadly carbon monoxide gas. Use these
appliances only outdoors with proper ventilation. Similarly, operate
cars and motor vehicles outdoors only, and never in the garage.
