Exhibit 31.1



                                  CERTIFICATION

I, Steven V. Lant, certify that:

     I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of CH Energy Group, Inc.
and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation (collectively, the "registrants");

     Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of
a  material  fact  or omit  to  state a  material  fact  necessary  to make  the
statements made, in light of the circumstances  under which such statements were
made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

     Based on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition,  results of operations and cash flows of the registrants as
of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

     The  registrants'  other  certifying  officer  and  I are  responsible  for
establishing and maintaining  disclosure  controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrants and have:

     a)  Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused  such
disclosure  controls and  procedures to be designed  under our  supervision,  to
ensure that material  information  relating to the registrants,  including their
consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to us by others within those entities,
particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

     b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants'  disclosure controls and
procedures and presented in this report our conclusions  about the effectiveness
of the disclosure  controls and procedures,  as of the end of the period covered
by this report based on such evaluation; and

     c) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants' internal control
over  financial  reporting  that occurred  during the  registrants'  most recent
fiscal quarter (the registrants'  fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual
report) that has  materially  affected,  or is  reasonably  likely to materially
affect, the registrants' internal control over financial reporting; and

     The registrants'  other certifying  officer and I have disclosed,  based on
our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting,  to the
registrants'  auditors  and the audit  committee of the  registrants'  boards of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

     a) All significant  deficiencies  and material  weaknesses in the design or
operation of internal  control over  financial  reporting  which are  reasonably
likely  to  adversely  affect  the  registrants'  ability  to  record,  process,
summarize and report financial information; and

     b) Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves  management or other
employees who have a significant role in the registrants'  internal control over
financial reporting.


Date:  September 24, 2004



                                             /s/ Steven V. Lant
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       Steven V. Lant
                                       President and Chief Executive Officer of
                                       CH Energy Group, Inc.



                                           /s/ Steven V. Lant
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       Steven V. Lant
                                       Chief Executive Officer of
                                       Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation