The Missouri Public Service Commission’s Cold Weather Rule, designed to help customers with heat-related utility bills, begins on Nov. 1.  The rule will remain in effect through March 31, 2010.

The Cold Weather Rule applies to natural gas and electric utilities under PSC jurisdiction that provide heat-related service.  Municipally operated systems, cooperatives and those that provide propane delivered by truck are not under PSC jurisdiction.  The rule does not apply to them.  The Cold Weather Rule has been a part of the Commission’s rules and regulations since 1977 and since that time, it has helped over two million Missourians with heat-related utility service.

The Cold Weather Rule:
* Prohibits the disconnection of heat-related service when the temperature is predicted to drop below 32 degrees during the following 24 hour period.
* Provides more lenient terms permitting reconnection of service for natural gas customers.  A customer can have service restored by making an initial payment of 50 percent of his/her outstanding balance or $500, whichever is less, with the deferred balance to be paid in a Cold Weather Rule payment agreement plan.  A natural gas utility will not be required to offer more lenient payment terms to keep service on or to reconnect a customer more than once every two years or when a customer has defaulted on a Cold Weather Rule payment plan under this section three or more times.
* Prohibits the disconnection of registered elderly and disabled customers who meet certain income guidelines who make a minimum payment.
It is important to note that in order to receive some of the benefits of the Cold Weather Rule, a customer must sign-up (register) with their heat-related company.
For more information on the PSC’s Cold Weather Rule, please see the Commission’s website at www.psc.mo.gov or call the Commission’s Consumer Services hotline at 1-800-392-4211.  Consumers can also receive Cold Weather Rule information from their local natural gas or electric company.