MARQUETTE, MI-- The UP Energy Task Force met at Northern Michigan University Tuesday to talk about how propane would be supplied to customers in the event of a disruption in service.
Eighteen percent, or about 22,000 households in the Upper Peninsula, use propane as a primary heating source.
Jenn Hill is a task force member and mayor pro-tem of Marquette. She says residents are worried about a possible shutdown of Enbridge’s Line 5 and what fuel would replace propane if that happens. She says whether or not the Line 5 tunnel is built in the Straits of Mackinac is not the issue – it’s making sure people have access to propane in emergencies and ensuring wholesalers keep prices reasonable.
“If they are causing the prices to spike we could actually have a legal remedy so that they could actually be fined if they’re making the prices spike,” she says.
Among the topics of discussion were diversifying the wholesale market, storing propane, assistance programs for low-income customers, and the lifting of rules during an emergency.
The group must have recommendations to Governor Gretchen Whitmer by March 31, 2020.
