Cold Weather Rule Gives More Customers Heat

Freezing temperatures this winter don’t mean Missouri homes have to be cold, because of more lenient payment terms under a revised Cold Weather Rule. The Cold Weather Rule goes into effect today. Disconnected residents can now get reconnected by paying either 50 percent of their existing debt or by paying 5-hundred dollars, whichever option costs less. The remainder of the debt will have to be paid at a pro-rata rate during the next 12 months. But, Public Service Commission Chairman Jeff Davis says all registered customers are safeguarded from heat being shut off when temperatures dip below freezing. Davis also says if you are an elderly or disabled citizen and you meet certain income guidelines, you can’t be shut off for any reason. Residents can also seek assistance from the state’s Low Income Heating Assistance Program.