Approximately 75 homes remained in the dark on Wednesday, Dec. 17 as a result of a Dec. 11 ice storm that rocked the region. Crews were still restoring power to those residents after the Beat’s deadline this week.
The storm struck late last Thursday, beginning as snow in some areas before changing over to sleet and freezing rain.
The storm impacted more than 75,000 Central Hudson customers between Thursday evening and Friday, and crews – with mutual aid assistance from Jersey Central Power and Light and Con Edison – restored power to roughly 60,000 customers by Sunday morning, according to Central Hudson.
Central and northern Dutchess County and southern Columbia County were among areas hardest hit by the storm. Severe damage in western Pine Plains, Milan, Red Hook and eastern Rhinebeck – which were all declared states of emergency – slowed restoration times, as downed trees and heavy ice remained days after the storm. More than 25 utility polls were slated for replacement in those areas, and repair crews worked closely with tree contractors to access blocked areas.
“In many cases, entire sections of electric infrastructure are being rebuilt. We’re grateful for the patience of our customers in these communities, which suffered the brunt of this devastating December storm,” said Central Hudson’s Senior Vice President of Customer Service Charles A. Freni in a Dec. 15 statement. “We’re also grateful to the municipal officials, emergency service professionals and community volunteers who have worked side by side with us to clear roadways, trim trees and operate shelters to help us restore electrical service in the wake of what was truly a natural disaster.”
In Dutchess County the American Red Cross set up two emergency shelters immediately after the storm on Dec. 12, one at Arlington Middle School, which closed Saturday, and one at Red Hook High School, which relocated to Milan Town Hall and closed Tuesday.
Three Dutchess County Chapter Disaster Assistance volunteers have been sent to Albany County to assist with ongoing Red Cross operations in the capital region, according to Rob Rolison, development director for the Red Cross. Two of the volunteers will be involved in disaster assessment and the other will be working in the mass care operations currently under way.
Central Hudson began providing dry ice to customers on Saturday to help preserve food refrigeration, and by Monday more than 40,000 pounds had been distributed.
Getting back to normal
Complicating matters, snow swept through the area Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning accumulation ranged from half-an-inch to two inches in some areas. Central Hudson spokesperson MaryJane Coughlin said the weather accounted for a handful of scattered outages in areas hard hit by last week’s storm, but otherwise did not slow down crews’ restoration efforts.
She also said that Central Hudson wasn’t concerned about inclement weather forecast for Friday and Sunday this week.
“We’ll have everyone on call and ready to go as necessary,” she said, noting that officials would regroup before any pending weather to assess areas of concern.
Customers who have not reported their power outage should do so by calling Central Hudon’s automated PowerLine at (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714. Customers are also reminded to stay away from downed power lines, which may be energized and dangerous, and to place generators outdoors, in well-ventilated areas. For more information on restoration efforts, log onto www.CentralHudson.com.
Keep the lights on
As the New Year approaches, Central Hudson’s annual Essential Services Program is under way. The program helps those whose utility accounts are past due by not having their electric service disconnected during winter’s coldest months.
This year’s program will be implemented through March 15, 2009, during which time an essential service apparatus will be attached to electric meters on past due accounts to provide sufficient energy to power the home’s heating system, some lights, a refrigerator and an electric stove burner on a limited basis.
“The program meets the basic heating, lighting and cooking needs of customers who are having difficulty paying their electric bills,” said Charles A. Freni, senior vice president of customer service. “If a customer uses more than a predetermined amount of electricity, the apparatus interrupts electric service, warning that the limit has been exceeded. The apparatus can then be reset by the customer to restore service for those limited needs,” he said.
All of Central Hudson’s existing notification procedures will be completed before an essential service apparatus is installed, and Freni noted that the utility company will continue to reach out to customers in need with additional programs, such as referral services to state agencies.
For more information on assistance programs, visit www.CentralHudson.com and click on “Payment and Special Assistance” in the residential section.