News Release

March 28, 2007

KCC's Cold Weather Rule to end March 31

The Kansas Corporation Commission wants to remind residential natural gas and electric customers they have until March 31, to take advantage of the KCC’s Cold Weather Rule.

The Cold Weather Rule prevents electric and natural gas utilities under the KCC’s jurisdiction from disconnecting service to residential customers if the temperature is forecast to fall below 35 degrees within the following 48-hour period, and requires utility companies to provide a 12-month payment arrangement. The rule is in effect from November 1 through March 31 each year.

Under the rule, utilities must offer a Cold Weather Rule pay arrangement to residential customers who are unable to pay their current or past due bills in full. Under this arrangement, the customer must make an initial payment of 1/12 of the total amount owed the utility. The balance will be billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill.

The KCC cautions customers that failure to make arrangements on utility bills with past due balances could result in service disconnection. If a customer receives both gas and electric service from one utility company and is financially unable to make payment arrangements to keep both services, that customer has the option of directing payment toward either the gas or electric service. Directed payment allows the customer to choose which service will be kept and which may be disconnected. The customer must arrange for directed payment and all pay arrangements through the utility company.

The KCC adopted the Cold Weather Rule to protect customers from utility service disconnection during the cold winter weather while providing a reasonable and organized method of paying past due and current bills.

Docket No. 02-GIMX-211-GIV