Kansas Cold Weather Rule: How Wichita Households Keep the Heat On This Winter
Kansas's Cold Weather Rule runs from November 1 through March 31. It doesn't erase what you owe. What it gives you is the right to spread an overdue bill over 12 months, and a temperature line below which most shutoffs stop. Here's how it works, who to call in Wichita, and where to find money for the balance.
AT A GLANCE
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The deal in plain words
The KCC describes the Cold Weather Rule as a trade. The utility keeps your electricity, gas or water on through the winter. You agree to a payment plan and keep paying for the new service you use. The rule dates back to 1983. The KCC's stated goal is to make sure Kansans have the utility service they need to keep their homes warm while customers keep their responsibility to pay.
That means the most important step is a phone call, not a form. If you can't pay your whole bill, call the utility and set up pay arrangements. Without that, the rule's protection doesn't kick in.
The Cold Weather Rule doesn't pause your bill. It turns a winter debt into twelve smaller pieces, as long as you make the call.
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Your two payment choices
The KCC gives customers two ways to set up a Cold Weather Rule plan:
The standard 12-month plan. Pay 1/12 of the overdue amount, 1/12 of your current bill, all disconnection and reconnection fees, and any deposit you owe. Then pay the rest of the overdue amount in equal payments over the next 11 months.
A faster plan you negotiate. If you can manage it, work out a plan with the utility to pay the overdue amount off in less than 12 months.
Either way, three conditions come with it:
Pay new bills in full. The plan covers the old balance. You still owe your full bill for the service you use each month while you're paying it off.
Apply for help you're eligible for. The KCC says customers should apply for federal, state, local or special funds they qualify for.
Fell behind on an earlier plan? If you can't catch up on a previous plan, you need to make a new payment agreement with the utility.
The KCC adds one more condition: if service was used illegally, the customer has to pay for the value of that service.
The KCC is clear that under the Cold Weather Rule, you always have the option of spreading your payment over a total of 12 months. If a representative only offers a shorter plan, you can ask for the 12-month version.
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How the 35-degree line works
The temperature rule is the part most people hear about and the part most often misunderstood. Here's what the KCC's Cold Weather Rule page says, situation by situation:
Situation | What the utility can do |
|---|---|
Forecast shows temperatures below 35°F within the next 48 hours | It can't disconnect you, except in certain circumstances |
Forecast is 35°F or above and you have no pay arrangement | It can start the final notice and disconnection process |
Forecast changes to below 35°F before that 48-hour period ends | It can't disconnect until there's another 48-hour forecast above 35°F |
You're already disconnected | You must make pay arrangements to be reconnected, whatever the temperature |
The takeaway: a cold snap can delay a shutoff, but it isn't a plan. To stay protected when it's 35 degrees or warmer, or to get reconnected, you need pay arrangements. On a mild winter week, a household with no arrangement can lose service.
The KCC's FAQ page refers to "page 26 of the Billing Standards" for the exceptions, so if a utility says an exception applies to you, ask which one and check with the KCC.
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What the utility has to do
The rule puts obligations on the utility, too. According to the KCC, utilities must:
Tell you about the Cold Weather Rule payment plan and any other payment plans they offer.
Send written notice 10 days before disconnection, and try to reach you by phone or in person the day before.
Tell you about agencies that have money to help pay utility bills.
If you got a disconnection without a notice, or a representative wouldn't explain the Cold Weather Rule plan, that's worth a call to the KCC.
Is your utility covered?
The rule applies only to residential customers of utilities under the KCC's jurisdiction. Not every utility in Kansas is regulated by the KCC. The KCC posts a list of regulated utilities on its consumer pages, so if you're not sure about your gas, electric or water provider, check that list or call the KCC at (800) 662-0027.
One detail to watch: the KCC's own page says the rule covers electric, natural gas and water utilities, while the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) describes it as covering electric and natural gas companies. If your concern is a water bill, confirm with the KCC.
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Wichita: who to call
Evergy (electric)
Evergy lists several tools on its energy assistance page. You can reach it at 1-888-471-5275.
Payment Extension: extra time, with the amount due added to your next bill.
Installment Plan: may be available to split a balance into payments over time. Payments must be on time each month to keep it active.
Average Payment Plan: a level monthly amount based on your average use over the last 12 months.
Adjustable Due Date: for qualified customers who get Social Security or SSI, so the due date lines up with the benefit.
Medical Extension: if you face disconnection and someone in your home has a medical emergency that losing power could make worse, Evergy will delay the shutoff for at least 21 days from approval. It's limited to one per calendar year.
Special Friend: if you're 60 or older and disabled or often away, you can name a friend, relative or agency Evergy can contact if a payment is overdue. That person isn't responsible for the bill.
Evergy also notes that some assistance programs can take up to 30 days to post to an account, so it suggests setting up a payment plan while you wait.
In person in Wichita: Evergy Connect, 111 Ellis St., Wichita, KS 67211, Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff can help with payment plans and applications for assistance. It's closed on major holidays, including Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas Day. Virtual appointments: (816) 414-5400 or evergyconnect@evergy.com, which also handles requests in Spanish.
Kansas Gas Service (natural gas)
Kansas Gas Service says customers with a balance may be able to set up a payment arrangement online, 24/7, to avoid disconnection. It also offers an Average Payment Plan that spreads gas costs over 12 months. The company says it doesn't run any of the financial assistance programs it points to, including LIEAP and Share the Warmth.
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Money for the balance
Program | Who it's for | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
LIEAP (Kansas DCF) | Households at or below 150% of the poverty level; one benefit a year toward heating | DCF Self-Service Portal or a local DCF Service Center; Benefits Assistance 1-888-369-4777 |
Share the Warmth (Salvation Army) | Kansas Gas Service counties; people responsible for heating costs who face an immediate financial emergency | Apply at your nearest Salvation Army; hotline 1-816-756-5392, option/ext. 2 |
Project DESERVE (Center of Hope with Evergy) | Evergy customers over 65, receiving disability income or meeting very-low-income guidelines | Center of Hope, 316-267-3999 |
2-1-1 (United Way) | Referrals to local utility help | Dial 211, or text your ZIP code to 898211 |
1-800-CHILDREN | Additional support DCF suggests after LIEAP | 1-800-244-5373 |
LIEAP: watch for the next opening
As of this check, DCF's page says the 2026 LIEAP application period has ended and information about the next one will be posted when it's available. When it opens, you can apply online through the DCF Self-Service Portal or ask for a paper application at a DCF Service Center.
To qualify, an adult at the address must be personally responsible for paying the heating costs, and the household's combined gross income can't go over these monthly limits:
Persons at the address | Maximum gross monthly income |
|---|---|
1 | $1,995 |
2 | $2,705 |
3 | $3,415 |
4 | $4,125 |
5 | $4,835 |
6 | $5,545 |
7 | $6,255 |
8 | $6,965 |
Add $710 for each additional person. Source: Kansas DCF Energy Assistance page.
A few useful details from DCF:
Renters can qualify if heat is included in the rent or owed on top of it. Apply under your own name.
The benefit can be split between two utilities if both bills are in an adult household member's name.
Kansas uses a formula so that funding doesn't run out early. DCF says the state has never run out of LIEAP funds before processing all applications received during the season.
Households where everyone is 62 or older and Social Security or KPERS is the only income may stay eligible for three years without reapplying.
A supplemental benefit may be paid at the end of the season if funding allows.
Project DESERVE details
The KCC's south-central Kansas resource list describes Project DESERVE as emergency help with Evergy bills, administered by The Center of Hope. It lists up to $300 once a year for households with children, adults with severe disabilities or adults over 60, and up to $100 once a year for other income-eligible people. Call Center of Hope to check current funding before counting on it.
Weatherization and home repair
If drafts or an old furnace are driving the bill, the Kansas Weatherization Assistance Program (Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, 785-264-4814) may help with air sealing, insulation and heating repairs for income-eligible households. Evergy also lists Income Eligible Weatherization on its assistance page. The KCC's list says the City of Wichita has loan programs for emergency home repairs, including heating (316-462-3713).
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Before you call
☐ Your account number and the latest bill for each utility
☐ The disconnection notice, with its date
☐ A number you can actually pay today toward the 1/12 down payment
☐ The amount of any disconnection, reconnection or deposit charges the utility says you owe
☐ Proof of income for everyone in the home, for LIEAP or Share the Warmth
☐ Paper and pen for the representative's name, the date and the plan terms
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WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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Related help
Official sources
Last checked: October 23, 2026. LIEAP dates for the next season weren't posted yet. Assistance programs depend on funding and can close early.
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