Concern lingers after Kleen Energy explosion

Portland, Conn. (WTNH) - Residents living near the Kleen Energy plant in Middletown, the scene of a deadly explosion a year and a half ago, got to quiz the company Tuesday about everything from plans for an emergency to noises coming from that new plant.

Kleen Energy is fully operational now. It went on-line July 12th. It seems peaceful enough at the foot of the Kleen Energy Plant, but we could smell a distinct gas odor. That was one of the main issues raised at a meeting at the Portland Public Library.

There's also the noise -- loud, metallic rumbling is how some describe it. Then there's the air quality concerns and last but not least the emergency response procedures.

"That's the important thing, that our neighborhood and the people here in Portland and in Middletown remain safe and secure and certainly having a good dialogue with the Kleen Energy folks is important to that end," said First Selectman Susan Bransfield, (D) Portland.

It's a reasonable concern given the history here. In February of 2010 a huge explosion rocked the natural gas plant, killing six workers who were purging a gas line. The practice has since been banned in the state.

Two months before going on-line neighbors complained about a horrendous odor. That was blamed on testing the turbines.

Earle Roberts was an elected official when Kleen Energy was first proposed. He thought the plan was flawed from the beginning. Now, living just a few hundred feet away, he's feeling the effects.

"They certainly have had issues with noise and odors," Roberts said. "I've witnessed them and complained myself and they're very real."

Kleen Energy says they have been under intense scrutiny after the fatal accident, but they have passed all tests and complied with state regulations on everything from noise to air quality. Not everyone at the meeting thought there are problems.

"No, I don't really have any concerns," Rick Osak of Portland said. He lives on the other side of Portland but says he's been satisfied with the company's response.

"I'm comfortable with the regulators that we have in place and the systems that the regulators have."

The company admits they are still fine-tuning their operations, but they say it is to their advantage that they be the best neighbor they can be.