The Missouri Public Service Commission’s annual “cold weather rule” goes into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017.
The cold weather rule is intended to help customers with their heat-related utility bills.
Parts of the rule include ensuring that heat-related services won’t be disconnected when the temperature drops below 32 degrees and requiring a 10 day notification before cutting off services.
Gay Fred, with the Missouri Public Service Commission, says the rule is for health and safety purposes, but not all cities in the state are required to follow the rule. It applies to natural gas and electric utilities under the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction. The Commission’s jurisdiction does not apply to cities with municipal systems or distribution cooperatives.
“The city of Columbia is municipal owned utility company and they do not fall under our jurisdiction,” Fred says. “Neither do electric cooperatives in the state of Missouri, like Boone Electric, they also do not fall under our jurisdiction.”
Fred says that larger metropolitan areas like Kansas City and St. Louis fall under this rule.
For these areas and others including Boonville, Fulton and Mexico, the rule will be in effect through the end of March.