Missouri Cold Weather Rule in effect until March

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - The Cold Weather Rule is now in effect for all of Missouri.

The law prohibits some utilities from disconnecting a home or apartment’s heat when the National Weather Service predicts that the temperature will drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit within the next 72 hours.

The law only applies to investor-owned utilities regulated by the Missouri Public Service Commission.

If you have a heat-related utility bill you cannot pay in full, MPSC recommends you notify your utility company as soon as you can and discuss payment plans or programs offered to help lower-income customers.

“I still want to make sure that customers understand that they’re still responsible for their bill during this time. So it’s really easy to get behind, and bills start adding up further and further,” said Sarah Fontaine, strategic communications director with the Missouri Public Service Commission. “So as always, we just would definitely recommend that you reach out to your utility if you need to get on a payment agreement.”

Fontaine added that if a customer does reach out to their utility company and feels they aren’t being afforded their rights under the Cold Weather Rule, she’d recommend reaching out to the Public Service Commission’s consumer services department. Their number is 1-800-392-4211.

The Cold Weather Rule remains in effect until the end of March 2027.

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