The state House has passed Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s comprehensive energy strategy plan, calling for a $7 billion expansion of the natural gas heating system among its many provisions.
Most of the strategy did not need legislative approval to be implement, such as expanding energy efficiency measures and building more alternative transportation fueling stations.
Even the plan to switch 300,000 customers to natural gas does not need legislative consent. However, tools approved by the General Assembly, such as giving the utilities longer payback periods for infrastructure improvements, make the expansion easier.
The 113-27 vote sends the measure to the state Senate, which still must pass the measure before the legislative session ends on Wednesday.
When Malloy proposed his strategy last October, he said the various measures would generate 10,000 energy-related jobs.
