Winter Storm Tips: Power Companies

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Snow and gusting winds on Thursday could knock trees into power lines, causing customers to lose power and creating a safety hazard.

Crews will give priority to restoring service lines that will provide power to the most customers as quickly as possible, then move on to restore smaller groups and individual customers who are without power.

The power companies serving the Hudson Valley offer these storm tips to customers to help weather the possible effects of a storm:

Beforehand

• Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Make sure you have a supply of extra batteries.
• Keep a supply of non-perishable food and bottled water on hand. Fill some containers too.
• Make sure cell phone batteries are fully charged.
• Keep it cool. Turn your freezer and refrigerator to the coldest setting. It will help keep food cool longer if the power goes out.
• Fill 'er up. Fill your car's gas tank ahead of time.

During and after

• If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move them or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by snow, tree limbs, leaves or water.
• Report all downed wires to your local police department and power company immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
• If your power goes out, disconnect or turn off appliances that would otherwise turn on automatically when service is restored. If several appliances start up at once, the electric circuits may overload.
• Emergency generators can be dangerous. If you use one, carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Operate your generator outdoors in a clean, dry, well-ventilated area and never indoors or in a garage. Click here to view NYSEG's safety tips.

|Patch tip: check on your neighbors.

Con Ed customers can report downed power lines, outages and check service restoration status by clicking here or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.

Con Ed is in close contact with the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm-response if needed.

NYSEG encourages customers to notify them about power outages by clicking here. If it's available, an estimated restoration time specific to your location will be displayed once you enter your phone number or account number. You can also call 1.800.572.1131 to report any electricity emergency. For a natural gas emergency, call 1.800.572.1121.

O&R offers several ways for customers to report outages and check service restoration status:

• Go to www.oru.com from any computer or web-enabled mobile device;
• Use the O&R mobile app from your iPhone, iPad or Android device;
• Text “OUT” to 69678 (myORU); or
• Call Customer Assistance at 1-877-434-4100

Central Hudson said to make a report of an outage, call immediately at 845-452-2700, or only if calling from outside the 845 area code, 1-800-527-2714. Customers can also report an outage online by clicking here.

Patch file photo