Blizzard conditions, slick roads, and snowfall reports in Kansas
25 March 2024
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) wants to remind utility customers of two important dates coming up.
The Cold Weather Rule ends on Sunday, March 31, and the deadline for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, known as LIEAP, is Friday, March 29.
LIEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Kansas Department of Children and Families. LIEAP applications must be received by the Kansas DCF office by 5 p.m. on Friday.
The Cold Weather Rule protects residential customers served by KCC-regulated utilities from disconnection when temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the Cold Weather Rule is in effect, regulated utilities are also required to offer a 12-month payment plan upon request, even if a previous payment plan has been broken. When that protection ends on Sunday, failure to make arrangements or failure to adhere to an already established payment plan could result in disconnection. Reconnection after March 31 may require past-due balances to be paid in full, depending on the utility’s policy.
The KCC does not regulate co-ops or municipal utilities, although many of those utilities also offer a cold weather payment plan. For a complete list of utilities regulated by the KCC, click here.