Massachusetts Plan to Fund New Gas Lines Rejected by Court
- Ruling will hamper efforts to boost regional gas supplies
- More than half of the state’s power comes from gas plants
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The highest court in Massachusetts struck down a bid by electric utilities to charge ratepayers for new natural gas pipelines, dealing a blow to their efforts to boost supplies of the fuel and avert shortages.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities cannot approve contracts that force electric utility customers to subsidize gas pipelines, according to a ruling by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on Wednesday. The court vacated an order from the department that authorized the contracts, which it said would unfairly expose ratepayers to higher costs.