1. Energy Assistance grants will be awarded to eligible applicants on a first come, first serve basis.
2. Energy Assistance grants are based on income, household size, and energy costs of your home.
3. The Energy Assistance grant will be sent directly to your fuel supplier.

WHAT IS COLD WEATHER RULE PROTECTION? Español

Application Forms

The Cold Weather Rule is a Minnesota Statute requiring all electric and natural gas companies to agree to provide heat-related electricity or natural gas from October 15 to April 15 to customers who make payments according to their agreement with the companies. Investor-owned utilities have different requirements that municipals and cooperative utilities.

Investor-Owned Utilities
Investor-Owned gas and electric utilities must provide CWR protection to heat-affected accounts using the “Inability to Pay” (ITP) and “Ten Percent” plans.

• ITP protects customers who are reasonably up-to-date on October 15 or who make and keep a payment schedule that considers the household’s financial situation.
• The “Ten Percent Plan” requires households to pay 10% of their monthly income to receive protection.

Municipal and Cooperative Utilities
Municipal and Cooperative Utilities (Munis and Coops) must offer only the “Inability to Pay” (ITP) plan using the same guidelines used by Investor-Owned Utilities.

Households disconnected prior to October 15 may be eligible for the “Reconnection Plan”, which allows income-eligible households to pay 10% of their monthly income to reconnect and maintain utility service during the CWR period.

Fuel Oil and Propane Companies
Fuel Oil and Propane companies don’t follow the Cold Weather Rule.

Some vendors extend CWP protection to all of their heat customers between October 15 and April 15. Consider these people CWP protected.

For more information contact the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) at 651-296-0406 or 1-800-657-3782; consumer.puc@state.mn.us; http://www.puc.state.mn.us/consumer/coldrule.htm.

Español de la regla de protecciõn durante el invierno:

¿Que es la REGLA DE PROTECCIõN DURANTE EL INVIERNO?

La Regla de Protección Durante El Invierno es un estatuto en el estado de Minnesota que requiere que todas las empresas de electricidad y gas natural, que generen calefacción, provean electricidad y gas natural a los consumidores que hagan pagos según el acuerdo con las empresas. Utilidades perteneciendo a Inversionistas tienen requisitos distintos a las utilidades municipales y cooperativas.

Utilidades perteneciendo a Inversionistas
Utilidades de gas e electricidad perteneciendo a inversionistas deben proveer protección durante el invierno a cuentas afectadas por calefacción usando el plan “Inhabilidad de Pagar” (ITP) y el plan de “Diez Porciento”

• ITP protege a los consumidores que están al día con su cuenta el 15 de Octubre o que han hecho y están cumpliendo con un arreglo de pagos que fue hecho considerando la situación financiara del hogar.
• El plan de “Diez Porciento” requiere que el hogar pague 10% de su ingreso para recibir protección.

Utilidades Municipales y Cooperativas
Utilidades Municipales y Cooperativas (Munis and Coops) debe ofrecer solo el plan de “Inhabilidad de Pagar” (ITP) usando los mismos requisitos que usan las Utilidades Perteneciendo a Inversionistas.

Hogares desconectadas antes del 15 de Octubre tal vez sean elegibles para el Plan de Reconexion que permite a los hogares elegibles pagar 10% de sus ingresos para reconectar y mantener servicio de utilidades durante Octubre 14 - Abril 15.

Compañía de Petroleo, Propano y Butano
Las compañías de petroleo, propano y butano no siguen la Regla de Protección Durante el Invierno.

Algunas compañías extienden la protección a todos de sus consumidores del
15 de Octubre al 15 de Abril. Estos consumidores son considerados protegidos.

Para mas información comuníquese con la comisión de utilidades publicas (PUC) al:
651-296-0406 o 1-800-657-3782;
consumer.puc@state.mn.us; http://www.puc.state.mn.us/consumer/coldrule.htm.

An application can be requested by calling the Willmar office at 320-235-0850

Online forms can be downloaded. Fill them out and bring them in with you.

English Language Energy Assistance Forms
Rights and Responsibilities
Energy Assistance Application
Instructions for EA Application
Formas en Espanol para la ayauda de Energia	Somali Language Energy Assistance Forms
Energy Assistance Application
Instructions for EA Application

Funding may be available to homeowners to pay for emergency home furnace repairs or replacements.

Weatherization Program

Weatherization Program

The Weatherization Program goal is to reduce home energy costs to eligible households by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety.  Minnesota’s program is administered through the Department of Commerce and a network of  32 local agencies, which deliver energy-efficiency services to eligible residents throughout the state.  The program prioritizes services to the elderly, people with disabilities, high energy consumers, and families with young children.  A household must be eligible for Energy Assistance Program to be considered for the Weatherization Program.  Auditor’s think of a house as a system comprised of the building structure, the mechanical systems, and the residents.  These three elements are interactive and interconnected.  Weatherization services include:

• Energy conservation education
• Home energy audit (home evaluation) to determine which energy saving measures are appropriate, emphasizing the most cost-effective measures and those which are essential for the health and safety of the occupants.   Diagnostic equipment, such as blower door, infrared camera, and manometer, is used to detect air infiltration, duct leaks, and pressure imbalances in the home. These measures could include
• Attic and wall insulation
• Air infiltration and bypass sealing
• Test, repair, and/or replace home mechanical systems to ensure efficiency and safety. 
• Final inspection to ensure all work is performed correctly and satisfactorily.

Additional Resources:
           www.energy.mn.gov
            www.EnergyHog.org
            www.powerisinyourhands.org
            www.ase.org/consumers
            www.eere.energy.gov/weatherization

Energy Tips

• Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 65 degrees at night
• Close off unused rooms
• Change the furnace filter every month
• Have fuel oil furnaces cleaned every year, gas furnaces every 3 years
• Check the weatherstripping on the doors and replace if cracked
• Put plastic on windows that leak
• Wash clothes in cold water
• When the weather is right, use the sun and air dry clothes
• Water heater temperatures set to 120 degrees
• Repair leaky faucets
• Install water heater jacket if water heater is more than 10 years old
• Insulate hot water pipes

Funding for Energy Assistance & Weatherization comes from federal and state grants, contracts through local utility
companies and local donations.

Heartland Community Action Agency is an EOE/AA/ADA compliance organization

web design by Dennis Benson