The regulation that helps Kansas residents who are behind on winter heating bills will go into effect Wednesday, November 1st.
The Kansas Corporation Commission says the Cold Weather Rule will be in effect through March 31st.
When the rule is in effect, utility companies cannot disconnect a customer’s service when local temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. The rule began in 1983 to prevent utility companies from disconnecting natural gas or electric service during periods of extreme cold.
The rule requires utility companies to offer a 12-month payment plan to allow customers to maintain or re-establish service. Any residential customer with a past due balance will qualify for payment arrangements, but it’s the customer’s responsibility to contact the company to make those arrangements.
The payment plan terms require that customers agree to pay 1/12th of the total amount owed, 1/12th of the current bill, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fee, plus any applicable deposit to the utility. The remaining balance must be paid in equal installments over the next 11 months in addition to the current monthly bill.
