Families urged to take action to keep warm this winter

October 15, 2009 by Howie · Leave a Comment

With cold weather arriving sooner than usual in Minnesota, Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon today urged Minnesota families to take immediate action if they will have difficulty paying their heating bills this winter.

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule, Heating Assistance and Weatherization programs, Sen. Prettner Solon noted, can help families keep their heat on this winter, but they must act quickly to take advantage of them.

“Our recent cold weather reminded us how important it is for all Minnesotans to have heat during the winter,” said Sen. Prettner Solon (right). “There are many resources to help Minnesotans with their heating bills, but they must take action to receive them.”

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule prevents utilities from disconnecting a household’s main source of heat during the coldweather months (October-April) as long as they establish a payment agreement and make the required payments. These payments, which cannot be greater than 10 percent of a low-income family’s income, are established through negotiations between the utility and customer. The Cold Weather Rule applies to all natural gas and electric utilities but does not cover delivered fuels such as fuel oil, propane or wood.

“Some Minnesotans mistakenly believe that the Cold Weather Rule absolutely prevents utilities from shutting off their heat during the winter even if they don’t pay their bills. Unfortunately, this is not the case,” said Sen. Prettner Solon. “Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule is in place to help families negotiate with their utility
company, but they must be willing to do their part by establishing a payment agreement and making the required payments.”

Sen. Prettner Solon also encouraged low-income families to contact local agencies to apply for Heating Assistance. These funds are available on a first-come-first-served basis to families that have a household income of less than 50 percent of the state’s median income ($41,722 for a family of four). Grant awards, averaging $500 per family, are determined based on a household’s size, income, fuel type and energy usage. A list of local agencies is available on the Office of Energy Security’s website by going to http://www.energy.mn.gov and clicking on “Low Income Assistance” or calling 1-800-657-3710.

Families are also encouraged to do energy conservation projects in order to decrease their heating bills. Weatherization Assistance funds are available from local agencies, and they can be used by low-income families for energy audits to evaluate their home’s energy usage, exterior wall and attic insulation, safety inspections and assessments of furnaces and indoor air quality. Interested families should also contact their utility to learn what energy conservation services they provide.