The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has extended its ColdWeather Rule emergency order and implemented a moratorium onservice disconnections for natural gas and electric service throughMay 31. The order provides emergency relief for customersstruggling to pay utility bills resulting from the record-breakingnatural gas prices this winter.

The order gives residential customers more time to either becomecurrent or enter into a 12-month Cold Weather Rule paymentarrangement with their utility companies. KCC said it wasencouraging customers to make arrangements before the beginning ofair conditioning season or before next year’s heating season.

Along with the moratorium on service disconnections, KCC saidthat utilities also have to continue to offer a Cold Weather Rulepayment arrangement to residential customers who are unable to paytheir bills in full or have amounts due from past bills.

Under the KCC rule, the customer must make an initial payment of1/12 of the total amount owed the utility. The balance then wouldbe billed in equal payments over the following 11 months inaddition to the regular monthly bill. Utility companies also mayrequire customers to go on a level payment plan for the sameperiod.

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