Gas company agrees to stop using propane mix for now following Christmas Eve issues

Jan. 13—SOUTHERN INDIANA — CenterPoint Energy is nixing its practice of mixing propane into the natural gas supply amid investigations into a carbon monoxide issue in Clark and Floyd counties that occurred on Christmas Eve.

State Rep. Rita Fleming said she will meet with CenterPoint Tuesday.

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Executive Director of Legislative and Public Affairs Luke Wilson said in an email to local lawmakers that the commission's Pipeline Safety Division inspected records at the CenterPoint Facility in Sellersburg last Friday and is continuing to analyze that data.

The division is also to visit the facility in Jeffersonville in the coming days. Officials will look into the functionality of that plant during the time of the incident.

"CenterPoint confirmed with us they will not be mixing propane into their natural gas system until more information is known regarding the cause of the issues," Wilson wrote in the email.

For Fleming and State Rep. Ed Clere, this is a step in the right direction.

"It does look like they're being pretty comprehensive and additional information is for now they will not be injecting any propane into the natural gas systems, in case that did appear to be what caused the problem," Fleming told the News and Tribune Friday morning. "There's still a lot of unknown out there, given this really affected the health and the property of their consumers. I think (the IURC) is doing due diligence."

Fleming said she will be meeting with a representative of the gas company next week.

"I am expecting an update then, and I am glad that they are now agreeing to meet with us, so we can give our constituents an update," Fleming said. "I'd like to know what their explanation is thus far to their consumers, I know I've been waiting for the IURC results, so we may not have a completed analysis of what happened and how they're going to do right by those affected...We certainly want to know if they're taking the findings of the IURC seriously and plan to continue to let consumers know what they're going to be doing about it."

She said she is grateful the IURC is taking the issue seriously and working quickly to investigate.

Clere said he's encouraged and will be more encouraged once there's a clearer picture of what exactly caused the issue.

"I'm sure (not using propane) is going to be a relief to a lot of people who have been concerned it could happen again," Clere said. "I've heard that from people, I've heard concerns about whether it could happen again and since we don't know exactly what happened, it's understandable there have been concerns about whether it could happen again."

The Town of Clarksville received more than 100 calls about carbon monoxide issues and malfunctioning appliances on Christmas Eve. Some people reported flames shooting out of gas stoves and heavy soot near appliances. Authorities took four people to the hospital for carbon monoxide-related complaints. Similar calls were also made in New Albany.

The News and Tribune has reached out to the IURC for an update on the timeline of the investigation.