Tens of thousands of Hudson Valley residents were without power Thanksgiving morning following Wednesday’s snowstorm that dumped a foot in some places. And many could be without lights until the weekend.
Heavy, wet snow that downed trees and power lines is to blame for cutting power to some 100,000 utility customers in the Hudson Valley. About 45,000 Central Hudson Gas & Electric customers lost power and, as of Thanksgiving morning, some 37,000 customers remained in the dark. Dutchess and Ulster Counties were hardest hit. Central Hudson has called in assistance from neighboring utilities and other states. Central Hudson officials say the restoration effort will last into the weekend in some of the most severely impacted communities. Orange & Rockland Utilities also had some 45,000 customers without power, and about 80 percent of these have their lights back. Hardest hit were those communities north and west of I-84. Power is expected to return to most customers by 2 p.m. Thursday; more by 8 p.m. Thursday; and the rest, Friday. NYSEG is working to restore power to more than 1,600 customers in Columbia County. Fewer than 100 of Con Edison’s Westchester customers were without power around 9 Thursday morning.
