Central Hudson sends 30 to Georgia for hurricane relief

POUGHKEEPSIE — Central Hudson Gas & Electric is sending 30 employees to Georgia to assist utilities in restoring power to thousands of people in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

As of Monday, Oct. 7, over 200,000 people were still without power in Georgia, North and South Carolina.

“Sending our power line technicians to Georgia is a testament to the spirit of mutual aid that defines our industry,” Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson said. “Just as we lean on other utilities and partners in an electric emergency at home, we understand the need to return that favor and lend a helping hand when others are responding to such powerful events.”

More than 50,000 utility workers converged on the Southeast U.S. following the destruction to help restore power to the region. The workers hail from 40 states; Washington, D.C.; and Canada, making the effort one of the largest mobilization efforts in history, according to Edison Electric Institute.

As of Monday, Oct. 7, Helene has killed 227 people in six states, surpassing Katrina as the deadliest storm in recorded history.