From the Associated Press.
Kansas legislators have quickly created a low-interest loan program for cities to help them cover a spike in costs associated with providing heat and electricity to residents during last month’s intense cold snap.
The state Senate approved, 37-1, on Wednesday to allow the state to loan out $100 million of its idle funds immediately to cities that have community owned electric and natural gas utilities. Its vote came hours after the House passed the measure, 124-0.
Subzero temperatures led to a big spike in demand for natural gas as well as other problems–such as freezing equipment which made gas hard to obtain, and caused prices to jump.