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More than 21,000 customers were left in the dark when the potent storm brought strong wind gusts and heavy rain to central and northern Ulster County just after 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, according to Central Hudson.
Central Hudson said most of the outages were located in Kingston, Marbletown, Hurley, Esopus, and Ulster.
As of 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 14, about 10,000 customers remained without service, Central Hudson said.
“Central Hudson crews are in the field and have restored service to more than 9,000 customers since last night’s storm,” said Ryan Hawthorne, vice president of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “We have secured approximately 60 additional mutual aid workers who will be in the area by mid-day to help expedite repairs and we expect to have power restored to the majority of impacted customers by end of day today. Some of the most heavily impacted areas could restoration efforts extend into Friday.”
Central Hudson said residents should stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and keep in mind that downed power lines can become hidden and entangled in fallen limbs.
Hawthorne said residents to keep the following safety tips in mind:
- 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.
- Avoid travel along roadways as hazardous conditions may cause driving accidents, including those involving utility poles which may cause power interruptions.
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