ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Central Hudson Gas & Electric (CH) has until around November 15 to explain why it shouldn’t be penalized for a November 2023 explosion in Dutchess County that injured several adults and children. The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) made the order on October 16 after releasing a report on the explosion, alleging that the company knew about an active gas service line, but didn’t tell contractors about it.
Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The explosion started fires, forced residents to evacuate the area, and destroyed two homes in Wappinger’s Falls. Multiple fire departments and police and emergency medical units responded to knock down the fire and help the injured.
Should New York end mandated and anonymous reporting of child abuse? “Utilities are required to provide safe and reliable service, and when they fail to provide this most basic protection, the Department [of Public Service] and [PSC] will investigate and, where appropriate, take action,” said PSC Chair Rory Christian. “[PSC] will start a process to receive the company’s position, review the evidence, and determine whether or not any penalties or other remedies against Central Hudson are warranted.”
The PSC report on its preliminary investigation found that CH contractors working on gas line upgrades in the area hit an unmarked natural gas line at 5 Brick Row and 7 Brick Row. The report said the line was active and in use, and that CH workers had read the gas meter repeatedly in the two years leading up to the blast.
NYSBOE releases voter registration tallies from campuses without polling sites The report also said that CH didn’t maintain maps at 4, 6, or 7 Brick Row from October 13 to November 2, not did they meet leakage survey and corrosion inspection requirements for the gas lines. Ultimately, investigators found that the contractors didn’t know about the line because of inaccurate records. They allegedly didn’t mark it off before excavating, causing the leak and explosion.
CH—which operates in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and Orange Counties—has 30 days to respond to the PSC order to justify “why a civil enforcement proceeding should not commence and why civil penalties or other remedies should not be imposed by the Commission for apparent violations.” You can read the order and the report at the bottom of this story.
Clothesline Project honors domestic violence survivors Joe Jenkins, Director of Media Relations at CH sent a statement:
The safety and well-being of our customers and communities will always be Central Hudson’s top priority. We take our responsibility to provide safe and reliable service to our customers very seriously and have fully cooperated with the Department of Public Service as it conducted its investigation into the event in Wappingers Falls last year. We will continue to do so.
We will closely review the Commission’s report and provide a comprehensive response to the allegations within the timeline requested by our regulators.
We understand the impacts this incident had on the residents of Brick Row and the surrounding community and will continue to work closely with regulators and all other stakeholders to support everyone involved.
Judge disarms NY Concealed Carry Improvement Act The official response to the order from CH will determine how the PSC proceeds. You can read their order and report below:
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