Connecticut Natural Gas does not have the infrastructure to serve Greenwich's existing homes, State Rep. Tina Courpas said Friday, Aug. 21, after meeting with CNG representatives to discuss the town's capacity problems.
Courpas, a Republican representing the 149th District covering Greenwich and Stamford, posted her account of the meeting on X, saying she followed up directly with CNG on the capacity question First Selectman Fred Camillo raised publicly in July.
@TinaCourpas: "Does Greenwich have natural gas capacity to supply our current housing stock, much less increased development? NO! Before the Supermajority passes bills forcing housing density, we have to answer these questions first."
The meeting appears to be the first time a state legislator has engaged directly with CNG on the issue, according to Courpas's account. No named CNG attendees or meeting location were disclosed. Courpas had appeared alongside Camillo at a bipartisan press conference outside Greenwich Town Hall on July 24, where she told reporters at the time, "We're here because two utility companies have told our first selectman that they don't have the capacity to serve Greenwich now," according to the Greenwich Sentinel.
How the issue surfaced
Camillo first raised the problem publicly at the July 9 Board of Selectmen meeting, describing how homeowners who tore down and rebuilt their houses were told by CNG there was not enough capacity to connect them. He followed up with a press release on July 23 calling on the state to impose an immediate moratorium on zoning mandates for all municipalities.
"The burdensome housing mandates that have been placed throughout the State of Connecticut have now taxed our infrastructure to the point that we can no longer keep up," Camillo said in the release.
The next day, a bipartisan coalition gathered at Town Hall. The group included State Reps. Hector Arzeno (D-151) and Steve Meskers (D-150), State Sen. Ryan Fazio (R-36), and selectmen from Darien and New Canaan.
CNG's response
CNG spokesperson Angela Baccaro acknowledged the strain in a written statement to Patch in late July, saying the utility had identified that some large new service requests in Greenwich could affect long-term reliability for existing customers without additional infrastructure investment. Baccaro said recent growth had outpaced historical trends and that CNG had begun planning reinforcement projects in collaboration with the town.
CNG has not commented specifically on the Aug. 21 meeting with Courpas or confirmed her characterization of the conversation.
What's driving the pressure
At the center of the debate is House Bill 8002, passed during Connecticut's November 2025 special session. The law requires municipalities to create housing growth plans and establishes priority housing development zones with mandated minimum densities: 10 units per acre for multifamily, six for duplexes and townhouses, four for single-family.
Camillo and his allies argue the state moved forward without accounting for whether utilities could handle the growth. Camillo also cited capacity concerns from Aquarion Water Company in his July 23 announcement.
What's next
Camillo has said the town plans to hold a public forum with CNG, Aquarion and Eversource in September at Greenwich Town Hall. No specific date has been announced. Residents seeking updates can check the town's website or contact the First Selectman's office.
