Utility Assistance
There are programs that may be able to assist with your utility bills! Act Now!
Programs
1. Apply for Energy Assistance through Southwestern Minnesota Opportunity Council (SMOC). Energy Assistance can only be applied to the electric portion of your bill. Visit their website at wwww.smoc.us/eap for details and to apply. Call them at 507-376-4195 or 800-658-2444 with questions.
2. United Community Action Partnership (UCAP) - Contact Brittney Buss at 507-828-5584 or brittney.buss@unitedcapmn.org.
3. Southwest Health & Human Services - Give them a call at 507-283-5066 or 888-837-6713 or visit their website https://swmhhs.com.
4. The Salvation Army HeatShare - Call - 800-842-7279
5. United Way - Call 211
6. Local Churches
Cold Weather Rule
Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule (CWR) is a state law that protects residential utility customers from having electric or natural gas service shut off between October 1 and April 30.
To protect your service from disconnection you must make and keep a payment plan that you and Luverne Municipal Utilities agree on. Luverne Municpal Utilities will offer a payment plan that is reasonable for your household’s financial circumstances. You can set up a utility payment plan at any time throughout the year.
You are eligible for CWR protection even if you rent – the electricity or gas must be the primary heat source and the utility account must be in your name.
Sign up for Cold Weather Rule (CWR)
1. Contact Luverne Municipal Utilities at 507-449-2388 and request a CWR payment plan. Luverne Municipal Utilities will provide you with an Application for Electric Shut-Off Protection to complete to apply for CWR. If you have trouble keeping up with utility bills and notices, please complete the Third Party Notice form, and Luverne Municipal Utilities will send copies of notices to the person you listed as your Third Party to help you stay connected (this person is NOT responsible for paying any bills). You will be delivered a red shut off notice posted on your residence before your service will be disconnected. If you have received a shut off notice, Luverne Municipal Utilities will work with you to prevent disconnection.
2. If your service has been shut off, Luverne Municipal Utilities will work with you to sign up for CWR and set up a payment plan to turn your service back on. As long as you make your payments, you are protected from shut off until April 30.
3. You have the right to appeal if you and Luverne Municipal Utilities cannot agree on a payment plan. You have 10 days to appeal to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. The MPUC will help you set up a payment plan, and your service will stay on during the appeal process.
4. If you cannot make your payments, call Luverne Municipal Utilities at 507-449-2388 immediately to make a new CWR payment plan. If you do not make your payments, your service may be shut off and Luverne Municipal Utilities does not have to set up another payment plan until the next CWR season.