Update: 11:26 am – Most residents now reporting that power is restored.
WEST POINT, N.Y. – A power outage affected the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and neighboring areas this morning – in the Town of Highlands, including Fort Montgomery.
The outage, which began early Tuesday morning, has been traced to a substation issue in Harriman, according to utility provider Orange and Rockland (O&R).
Utility crews worked this morning to isolate the problem and restore electricity in phases. Some residents have reported receiving estimated restoration times between 8:46 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., based on O&R notifications sent to residents.
The latest official estimate for full restoration is 3:00 p.m., though this may vary by location. We are in communication with Orange & Rockland for updated times.
Highlands Community Services Impacted
The outage has disrupted services throughout the area. As of this morning:
- West Point Schools and the Highland Falls–Fort Montgomery Central School District are closed.
- All MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) facilities, including Child and Youth Services (CYS), are closed.
- The Commissary and West Point Exchange remain closed; unattended fueling stations are also offline.
- Visitor Center is closed; Visitor Control Center is open with limited capacity.
- Keller Army Community Hospital (KACH) is operating with modified services:
- Outpatient care started at 10:00 a.m., though surgical and endoscopy procedures have been canceled and will be rescheduled.
- Services like audiology, pharmacy, radiology, laboratory, and physical therapy are delayed.
- The Emergency Room remains open 24/7.
For maintenance issues at West Point Family Homes, residents are advised to call the emergency line at (845) 446-3570.
Warming Center and Local Response
To support residents during the outage, the Fort Montgomery Fire Department opened its firehouse on Route 9W as a warming center. In a social media post shared at approximately 10 am, the department stated:
“Due to the (ongoing) power outage, the Fort Montgomery Firehouse will be open to the community as a warming center and will remain open as conditions require. Please share this post so we can get the word out to anyone who may need it. Stay safe and look out for one another.”
Orange County Legislator and Chairperson Laurie Tautel confirmed that over 3,000 homes are affected, and said she is in contact with O&R to prioritize power restoration to the warming station and senior complex in Highland Falls.
How to Report an Outage
Residents can report outages or track service issues directly with Orange and Rockland Utilities by visiting:
🔗 https://www.oru.com/en/services-and-outages/report-track-service-issue
