By Bob Katzen

The House gave initial approval to a bill that would allow the Bay State’s 41 municipal light plants to provide services to other Massachusetts municipal and state plants, and plants in other states. Current law prohibits this practice.

Supporters said the bill will encourage more efficient services such as constructing, maintaining and repairing utility poles and traffic signals across the state and will also enable municipal light plants to sell, rent and lease merchandise.

“This bill will allow for an expansion of services offered by municipal light plants to surrounding communities,” said sponsor Rep. Jay Barrows (R-Mansfield). “This will be good for consumers as it ideally would enable more competitive services to be provided.”