Contact Us
Sitemap
MVEC Home MVEC Home
Inside MVEC
Wednesday, Mar 10th


  Cold Weather Rule & MN Extreme Heat Law


Cold weather and the cost to heat a home can have an impact on a member’s electric bill. MVEC makes every effort to work with members to resolve past due accounts. Your electric cooperative must not disconnect and must reconnect the utility service of a residential member during the period between October 15 and April 15 if the disconnection affects the primary heat source for the residential unit and all of the following conditions are met:

1. The household income of the member is at or below 50% of the state median household income. A municipal utility or cooperative electric association utility may (i) verify income on forms it provides or (ii) obtain verification of income from the local energy assistance provider. A member is deemed to meet the income requirements of this clause if the member receives any form of public assistance, including energy assistance that uses an income eligibility threshold set at or below 50% of the state median household income.

2. A member enters into and makes reasonably timely payments under a payment agreement that considers the financial resources of the household.

3. A member receives referrals to energy assistance, weatherization, conservation, or other programs likely to reduce the member’s energy bills. (a.) A municipal utility or a cooperative electric association must, between August 15 and October 15 each year, notify all residential members of the provisions of this section.

For additional information about Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule, go to www.puc.state.mn.us or www.mnvac.org for the Minnesota Valley Action Council – Energy Assistance Program.

Emergency Assistance Contacts
If you require emergency assistance at the time of disconnection, there are various agencies listed below that may be able to assist you.

Carver County Social Services (General assistance only)

(952) 361-1600

Dakota County Human Services

(651) 554-5611

Hennepin County Energy Assistance

(952) 930-3541

Le Sueur County Human Services

(507) 357-2251

Rice County Human Services

(507) 332-6115

Scott County Human Services (Single)

(952) 445-7751

Sibley County Human Services

(507) 237-2981

CAP Scott/Carver

(952) 496-2125

CAP Dakota

(651) 322-3500

Heat Share (Salvation Army) Primary Heat Only

(612) 721-1668
(507) 345-7840
(888) 999-1568

Minnesota Valley Action Council

(507) 345-6822
(800) 767-7139

Three Rivers Community Action

(507) 732-7391


 

Minnesota Extreme
Heat Law


This Minnesota state law affects the way electric utilities handle disconnection of electricity to members who fail to pay their electric bills in the summer. The law states a utility such as MVEC can not disconnect electric service to residential members if:

  • The county they reside in is under an excessive heat watch,
  • Heat advisory or,
  • Excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service

As always, MVEC will work with members to prevent disconnection. MVEC would like to give members with past due accounts an opportunity to work out a feasible payment schedule. However, members who fail to contact us to make a payment arrangement or those who break their payment arrangement will have their power disconnected once the excessive heat watch, advisory or warning has expired.




125 Minnesota Valley Electric Drive, Jordan, MN 55352 | (952) 492-2313 or (800) 282-6832 | info@mvec.net
©Copyright 2007-2010 Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative