JOPLIN, Mo. – A statewide rule designed to help with heat-related utility bills, while at the same time, protecting residents from a utility disconnection during the winter months, took effect in November and runs through March.
The Missouri Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) “Cold Weather Rule” will remain in place through March 31, 2024. It has been a part of the Commission’s rules and regulations since 1977.
The Cold Weather Rule applies to natural gas and electric utilities under MPSC jurisdiction that provide heat-related service. Municipally operated systems, cooperatives, and those that provide propane delivered by truck are not under MPSC jurisdiction.
What The Rule Does
- 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 payment terms permitting reconnection of service for natural gas and/or electric customers.
- Allows customers to budget payments over 12 months.
The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.
(Story by Dustin Lattimer, ozarksfirst.com)