CenterPoint Energy customers ask what’s next following carbon monoxide incident

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - CenterPoint Energy is taking responsibility for the carbon monoxide leak in Southern Indiana on Christmas Eve that sent several to the hospital.

They said the incident happened because of an incorrect mixture of gas.

The apology from CenterPoint Energy comes six weeks after calls to 911 first reported problems.

Customers said they appreciate the words of condolence, but say action from the utility would be better.

“I would like to see them be truly responsible for this because it could have been far worse than what it was,” New Albany resident Roger Baylor said.

Baylor said he was impacted by the gas mixture and knows he got lucky on Christmas Eve.

He woke up to the sound of his carbon monoxide detector and called 911,

The temperature in his house dropped to 38 degrees on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and he paid hundreds to resolve the problem, but he said the only thing he could think of was what others were facing.

“I thought about how I knew there were four people that went to the hospital,” Baylor said. “I know that there were other people that felt sick and didn’t know why because they didn’t have a carbon monoxide detector and it could’ve been worse obviously.”

The CenterPoint Energy statement outlined the carbon monoxide issue.

During their investigation, the utility said “a disproportionate amount of propane had been added into their natural gas system and contributed to the reports of carbon monoxide in Clarksville, Jeffersonville and New Albany.”

WAVE News talked to the company’s VP of Indiana and Ohio Gas and she reiterated the companies condolences.

“I would like to start with expressing our sincere apologies to those that were impacted by the carbon monoxide calls on December 24th in the three communities,” CenterPoint Energy’s VP of Indiana and Ohio Gas Ashley Babcock said.

Babcock said they initially didn’t find any issues on their end and it took a third-party investigation to help find the issue.

When asked multiple times how propane even got into their system, she said there could be many reasons.

“There are a number of conditions that could have contributed to the inappropriate mixture, and we will continue to evaluate our plant operational procedures to ensure that we mitigate this from ever happening again,” Babcock explained.

Baylor said CenterPoint Energy is his only option for gas and hopes some type of reimbursement comes from this.

“You can’t put a value of compensation on the human health or on life,” Baylor said.

CenterPoint Energy asks for anyone impacted by this incident to contact them at indianaclaim@centerpointenergy.com or by calling (713) 207-7724 as they hope to continue to resolve this mistake.

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