TOPEKA, Kan. — The Cold Weather Rule ends on Friday, March 31. That means Kansans who are behind on electric and natural gas utility bills will be subject to disconnection of service unless they contact their utility company to make payment arrangements. March 31 is also the last day to apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), 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 Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) urges all customers facing financial difficulties to act now to stay connected. 

According to the KCC, the Cold Weather Rule, in effect from November 1 through March 31, provides protection from disconnection to residential customers served by utilities regulated by the KCC when temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period. When the rule is in effect, regulated utilities are also required to offer a Cold Weather 12-month payment plan upon request, even if a previous payment plan has been broken. 

When that protection ends on Friday, 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 be paid in full, depending on the utility's policy. That is why it is important to call now – while regulated utilities are still required to offer the Cold Weather Rule 12-month payment plan. 

The Cold Weather Rule 12-month payment plans require an initial payment of 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of the bill for current service, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fees, plus any applicable deposit owed to the utility. The balance is billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill. 

It is important to note that 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 visit: http://kcc.ks.gov/about-us/jurisdiction 

To find out more about utility assistance programs in your area, please contact your utility or the KCC Consumer Protection Office at 800-662-0027 or 785-271-3140. Utility assistance program information is also posted on the KCC’s website.  

Residents of southeast Kansas remember the February 2021, winter storm. Dubbed Winter Storm Uri, it created energy shortages and rolling blackouts across the region. Utility bills skyrocketed for many in SEK as a result.  

During the storm, Evergy Kansas Central experienced extraordinary costs related to generating, purchasing, and delivering power to its customers during the storm that will soon impact customers. 

Local Evergy customers have recently received a letter detailing an agreement with the KCC to allow Evergy to recover those costs. Evergy said it works closely with state regulators to keep energy costs as low as possible, even in extraordinary circumstances like storm Uri. In fact, customers of electric utilities in other Uri-effected states will likely have larger per-customer recovery costs than Evergy customers. 

In the letter to Evergy Kansas Central customers, a monthly charge will be added to bills over a two-year period from April 2023 to March 2025. The average monthly cost per residential customer is estimated to be $2.82, which will be reflected in the Fuel Used in Power Generation line item on bills. 

It is important to note that the charge will NOT be included as a separate line item but will be part of the Fuel Used in Power Generation category. 

For more information, please visit evergy.com/uri-recovery.