NH Lakes Region in blue (click for larger version)
New Hampshire’s Lakes Region faces a development crisis after Liberty Utilities paused new natural gas connections due to pipeline capacity limits and lack of natural gas. Municipalities like Franklin and Laconia were "blindsided" (but should not have been) by the moratorium, which threatens hundreds of planned housing units. The region's outdated pipeline requires upgrades that could take seven years and cost tens of millions. While local officials worry the gas shortage will stall workforce housing, so-called clean energy advocates with a vested financial interest suggest this bottleneck is an opportunity to pivot toward electrification (and it allows them to make more money). They argue that high-efficiency, high-priced heat pumps offer a faster, more sustainable solution than waiting years for expensive and uncertain natural gas expansions.
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