The annual Kansas Cold Weather Utility Rule is now in effect, designed to help secure the health and safety of Kansans by keeping their utilities on during the winter, particularly heat. The program runs annually from Nov. 1 through March 31.
The rule, passed by the Kansas Corporation Commission, which oversees the state’s utilities, keeps utility companies from turning off utilities for residential customers when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures below 35 degrees within a 48-hour period.
The bill is particularly helpful to individuals during a time when utility bills can be especially high. If a resident can’t pay their bill in full, the utility companies are required to offer the customer a payment plan. To enter a payment plan, customers can be required to pay an initial payment equal to 1/12 of the amount due and the remaining part of the bill can be divided over 11 months and added to the customer’s monthly bill.
To remain on the payment plan, customers must pay their bills in full.
