Hudson Valley utility honored for Sandy response

The Edison Electric Institute has awarded Central Hudson Gas & Electric the EEI Emergency Recovery Award for its efforts in response to Hurricane Sandy.

The institute, an association of electric companies representing 70 percent of the electric power industry in the United States, presents the award annually to utilities that face extraordinary events and put forth outstanding effort to restore service. Hurricane Sandy was the fourth-largest storm in the utility's history.

"For the third time in three years, we've been honored with this award, and we are extremely proud to have been selected once again," said James P. Laurito, president of the utility, said in a company news release Friday.

Central Hudson's receipt of the award for three consecutive years is unprecedented in the Northeast. For more on Sandy's impact in the mid-Hudson Valley and to view the power company's nomination form and photographs, see www.CentralHudson.com/pdf/eeinomination_hurricanesandy.pdf.