Rule protecting Minnesotans from heat disconnection during coldest months takes effect Tuesday

Xcel Energy works to restore power during a stretch of cold weather in 2019. (FOX 9)

The rule protecting Minnesotans from having their heat disconnected in the coldest months takes effect Tuesday. 

Xcel Energy announced the Minnesota Cold Weather Rule is in effect Oct. 15 through April 15, protecting residential customers from service disconnection during the coldest months.

Under the rule, if a disconnection would affect the customer’s primary heating source customers can contact the utility and set up a payment plan to avoid having their heat shut off if they cannot pay.

“We understand that customers can sometimes face challenges paying their electric and natural gas bills and we want to provide the resources they need to make payment arrangements,” said Nora Lindgren, Credit Manager at Xcel Energy. “We have several programs and work with many agencies that can provide assistance or identify other resources for customers in need.”

According to Xcel, income-eligible customers who invoke cold weather protection can instead make monthly payments no more than 10 percent of their household income.

For more information, customers can call Xcel Energy’s residential customer service line at 1-800-895-4999 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.