(MAHASKA COUNTY, Iowa) – Iowa’s annual winter home heating moratorium ends April 1. The Iowa Utilities Board reminds energy assistance customers currently protected from service disconnection and struggling to pay their utility bills, to contact their local utility company immediately to discuss payment options and avoid disconnection beginning April 2.

Under Iowa’s winter moratorium law, qualified customers for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or Weatherization Assistance Program are protected from the annual shutoff of natural gas or electric service from November 1 to April 1.

Iowa customers seeking LIHEAP financial assistance for utility bills should contact their local Community Action Agency before April 30 to discuss eligibility guidelines. The LIHEAP program pays only a portion of utility bills to qualified low-income customers.

All utility customers, including those not qualifying for energy assistance, may be eligible to enter into a reasonable payment agreement with their utilities to pay accumulated debt over time and to maintain utility service.

IUB rules regarding natural gas or electric service disconnections and payment agreements can be found in chapters 19 and 20, Utilities Division [199] of the Iowa Administrative Code.

IUB Customer Service staff is available to assist customers with questions about utility service disconnection or other issues that are not resolved directly with their utility company and can be contacted toll-free at 1-877-565-4450, or by email at customer@iub.iowa.gov.

For more information about low-income energy assistance, visit the Board’s website LIHEAP informational page.