Bill > HB06929

This bill establishes a thermal energy network grant and loan program administered by the Connecticut Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to support the development of sustainable heating and cooling infrastructure. The program will provide funding to a wide range of potential recipients, including local governments, tribes, electric utilities, academic institutions, and nonprofits, to develop thermal energy networks—which are utility-scale infrastructure projects that distribute heat and cooling through non-combustible fluid pipes without generating greenhouse gases. Eligible projects can receive financial assistance for community planning, feasibility studies, design and engineering services, and infrastructure development, with recipients required to submit annual reports for three years detailing their project's progress to regulatory authorities. Importantly, "thermal energy" is defined specifically as heating or heating and cooling derived from either zero-emission fuel sources or geothermal energy, emphasizing the program's environmental sustainability goals. The program will operate within available appropriations and the commissioner may establish various financing mechanisms to leverage additional funding. The program is set to begin on October 1, 2025, and aims to support innovative, low-carbon energy distribution systems across Connecticut.