News Release

For more information contact: Abbie Hodgson, 785-271-3269

March 24, 2010

Cold Weather Rule to End March 31st

Topeka, KS- As the temperatures rise and winter draws to a close, so too does the Kansas Corporation Commission's (KCC) Cold Weather Rule. The Cold Weather Rule, which is in effect November 1st through March 31st each year, generally 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.

Under the rule, utilities must also provide a payment plan of at least 12 months to residential customers who are unable to pay their current or past due bills in full. As part of this arrangement, the customer must make an initial payment of 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of the bill for current service, the full amount of any disconnection or reconnection fees, plus any applicable deposit owed the utility. The balance will be billed in equal payments over the next 11 months in addition to the regular monthly bill.

"In order to avoid having their service disconnected this spring, the KCC is urging customers unable to pay their bill in full to contact their utility company to set up a payment plan prior to March 31st," said KCC Chairman Thomas Wright.

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. More information about the Cold Weather Rule is available at: http://kcc.ks.gov/pi/cwr_english.pdf.