Cold Weather Rule

Manage Account

Winter Disconnect Protection

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule states that an electric utility must not disconnect and must reconnect the service of a residential customer during the period between October 1 and April 30 if the disconnection affects the primary heat source for the residential unit and all of the following requirements are met:



• The customer’s account is current for the billing period immediately prior to October 1 or the customer has entered into an acceptable payment arrangement and is reasonably current with payments under this arrangement.
• The household income of the customer is less than 50 percent of the state median income as documented by the customer to the utility.
• Utility disconnection would affect the customer’s primary heat source.
• The customer has declared inability to pay on forms provided by the utility.
• The customer has to pay at least 10 percent of monthly income or the full amount of the utility bill, whichever is less.

ERMU notifies all residential customers of the above requirements and will also provide customers with referrals to energy assistance, weatherization, conservation, or other programs likely to reduce the customer’s energy bills.

RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION