The Shire of Esperance wants confirmation from the Western Australian government that a local gas network will be kept open until all residents have secured alternative energy sources.
State Energy Minister Bill Johnston last February announced the government had brokered a deal to keep a gas pipeline open until March 31 after its operators decided it would close.
The minister said this would give 400 household and commercial customers time to transition to bottled gas or electricity, with the government committing to pay the majority of those costs and replace appliances with new ones of equal value.
But recent figures from Horizon Power reveal that 35 per cent of those households and 85 per cent of businesses were yet to transition.
Shire of Esperance president Ian Mickel said his community wanted assurances.
"They've got to keep the pipeline there until they complete the job," he said.
"I'd like somebody to come out and tell us, 'Yes, they are definitely going to do that', and the Minister for Energy is probably the appropriate person.
"So I'd like him to give us some assurance as to make sure it is done."
The state government has not said what will happen if the deadline arrives before residents secure another energy source.
A spokesperson said all negotiations between it and the pipeline operators, Esperance Gas Distribution Company (EGDC), were commercial in confidence.
EGDC has confirmed it was still expecting to surrender its gas trading license and decommission the network on April 1.
People 'getting a bit anxious'
Labor Member for Agricultural Region Darren West suggested the minister might look to negotiate with EGDC to extend the deadline.
But with the minister on leave, Mr West said he did not know if it was an option being considered.
"The government will do whatever it takes to get everybody across," Mr West said.
"It is taking a while … there will be some people getting a bit anxious.
"We will get it changed over.
"Whether that's the minister entering into a discussion with the gas company to extend the time or we just make sure everyone's across in time, we'll get in and get that sorted."
Mr West said he did not know if the energy minister had initiated any conversations with the pipeline operators at this stage, but urged anybody with questions about the transition to contact Horizon Power.
Horizon Power working through transition
A Horizon Power spokesperson says it will "continue to work individually with those customers who are still transitioning off the reticulated gas supply".
"All impacted reticulated gas customers are in contact with a trade for the required transition works," the spokesperson said.
"Horizon Power will also continue to work with the trades to monitor progress and confirm schedules ahead of the March 31 end to reticulated gas supply."
It said it had approved applications from 94 per cent of household customers and 90 per cent of commercial customers.
A big deadline to meet
EGDC announced it would close the pipeline after it lost the contract to supply the town's new power station.
The contract instead went to EVOL LNG, which will truck in gas from nearby Perth.
It expected five or six trucks would be needed each week, but in December Horizon Power said it was using about eight trucks a week.
A state government spokesperson said that number should drop during the first half of this year, as the power station sourced more energy from renewables.
