Des Moines, Iowa — The moratorium on disconnection of natural gas and electric service is coming to an end the first week of April.
That means that if you were kept from having your gas and/or electric service disconnected (due to non-payment of your bill) because you applied for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or “LIHEAP”, or the Weatherization Assistance Program, the time has run out, and you will soon need to pay your bill or make other arrangements. Beginning April 4th, energy assistance customers could be subject to service disconnection for unpaid bills with proper notice by their local utility company.
Iowa law and Utility Board rules require that households qualifying for LIHEAP and Weatherization assistance are protected from natural gas or electric service disconnection during the moratorium. Eligibility for both programs is based on household size and income.
If there are funds available in your area, it is not too late to apply for LIHEAP, but the moratorium on disconnects ends April 4. Heating assistance funds are limited and LIHEAP applications are accepted from households on a first come/first served basis at their local Community Action Agency (CAA) through April 30, 2016.
Our four-county area is served by two Community Action Agencies. In O’Brien and Osceola Counties, it’s Upper Des Moines Opportunity. In Lyon and Sioux Counties, it’s Mid Sioux Opportunity.
For more information, visit the Board’s LIHEAP web page, https://iub.iowa.gov/liheap and the Iowa Department of Human Rights, https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa, or call (515) 281-0859.
