Whether an electric company can disconnect during a heat advisory depends on your state. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have hot weather disconnection protections; the other 31 states have none, and about 49 percent of the U.S. population lives in those unprotected states.1LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Disconnect Policies If you’re in a state without a summer moratorium and you fall behind on your bill during a July heat wave, your utility can legally cut your power regardless of the temperature outside.
Even in states that do protect customers, the moratorium only pauses the shutoff. Your balance keeps growing, and once the heat rule lifts, the utility can move ahead. That’s why the useful question isn’t just “am I protected right now” but “what do I need to do this week.”
How Heat Protections Work Where They Exist
States that restrict summer disconnections use three approaches, and some combine them.
- Temperature-based triggers. The utility cannot disconnect when the temperature or heat index hits a set level. Thresholds range from 90°F to 105°F depending on the state, and some states set a lower threshold for elderly or disabled customers than for the general population.
- Weather alert triggers. Several states tie the moratorium to National Weather Service alerts. When the NWS issues a heat advisory or excessive heat warning for your area, disconnections are prohibited. A few states extend the protection for a day or two after the alert ends.
- Calendar-based protections. A handful of states ban summer disconnections during a fixed window regardless of the day’s actual temperature.
The National Weather Service issues a heat advisory when the heat index is expected to reach 100°F to 104°F and an excessive heat warning when it’s expected to hit 105°F or higher.2National Weather Service. Definitions, Thresholds, Criteria for Warnings, Watches and Advisories Those numbers effectively set the trigger in states pegged to NWS alerts. In states with their own temperature rules, the number that matters is whatever your state chose, which can be lower or higher.1LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Disconnect Policies
To find out which rule applies to you, call your utility and ask, or contact your state’s public utility commission (sometimes called the public service commission or corporation commission).
Medical Certificate Protection Works Almost Everywhere
Nearly every state offers a serious illness protection that prevents disconnection when a household member has a medical condition that would be worsened by losing service. This is separate from any hot weather rule, so it can help even in the 31 states with no summer moratorium.
You need a medical certificate signed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant stating that disconnection would aggravate a serious medical condition in your household. The initial protection period is usually 30 to 60 days, though a few states allow initial periods of up to 180 days. In roughly three dozen states, the certificate can be renewed for the duration of the illness.
This is the strongest lever available if someone in your home relies on electrically powered medical equipment like an oxygen concentrator, nebulizer, or home dialysis machine, or if heat itself poses a documented health risk. Don’t wait for a shutoff notice. Contact your utility now, ask how to submit a medical certificate, and get one on file. Some utilities won’t issue a disconnection notice at all while a valid certificate is active.
Steps to Take Before the Power Goes Off
The moment you know you can’t pay, call your utility. Waiting shrinks your options. Ask specifically about:
- A deferred payment arrangement. Most utilities let you pay a portion of the past-due balance upfront and spread the rest over monthly installments. Ask what the minimum down payment and monthly installment amounts are, because they vary.
- A payment extension. If you can pay in full but need more time, a simple due-date extension may be enough. Some utilities grant these automatically if you ask before the disconnection date.
- Budget billing. This averages your annual usage into equal monthly payments so you avoid the summer spike that pushes many households into arrears. It won’t erase existing debt, but it prevents a repeat next year.
If a final disconnection notice arrives, act the same day. In many states, contacting the utility before the shutoff date and agreeing to a payment plan is enough to stop it. Once the power is actually off, you lose that leverage and face reconnection fees on top of the past-due balance.
Financial Assistance That Can Stop a Shutoff
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program that helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills. Congress funded LIHEAP at approximately $3.7 billion for fiscal year 2026.3LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Funding for States and Territories Each state runs its own program, so application processes, benefit amounts, and enrollment windows differ.
Eligibility is generally limited to households at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, or 60 percent of the state median income, whichever is higher. States cannot exclude households below 110 percent of the poverty level. Households already receiving TANF, SSI, or SNAP benefits often qualify automatically.4LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Statute
LIHEAP isn’t the only option. Many utilities run hardship funds or partner with local nonprofits and community action agencies, and some of these programs pay a portion of your past-due balance directly. Your utility’s customer service line can point you to what’s available locally, and dialing 211 will connect you to a community resource line that can help find emergency energy assistance.
If Your Power Is Already Off
Restoration generally requires paying the full past-due balance or negotiating a payment arrangement. Most utilities also charge a reconnection fee, typically between $25 and $50, though it can be higher if a technician has to visit rather than restore service remotely through a smart meter. A new security deposit may be required if you have a history of late payments.
Once payment clears, most utilities aim to restore service within one business day. The actual timeline depends on your meter type and how backed up the utility’s crews are. Keep proof of every payment and get a confirmation number. If reconnection is quoted at more than 24 hours during a heat advisory, mention the health risk when you escalate the request, and contact your state utility commission if the delay seems unreasonable.
When the Utility Breaks the Rules
If your utility disconnects during a heat moratorium, without required notice, or while a valid medical certificate is on file, you can complain to your state’s public utility commission. Every state has one, and they have the authority to investigate, order service restored, and penalize utilities that violate the rules.
Try customer service first and document everything. If the utility won’t fix the problem, file a formal complaint with the commission. Most states allow online, phone, or mail filings. In many states, the utility cannot proceed with disconnection while a complaint is under investigation.
For an imminent shutoff you believe is illegal, call the commission rather than filing online. Several states operate emergency hotlines for customers who have received a final disconnection notice. Speed matters, because once the power is off, the process shifts from prevention to reconnection, which is harder.
Your Immediate Action List
If you’re reading this with a shutoff notice in hand during a heat wave, work through these today:
- Call your utility and ask whether a heat moratorium currently applies in your area. If it does, confirm your disconnection is postponed and ask what needs to happen before the moratorium ends.
- If anyone in your household has a health condition worsened by heat, ask their doctor for a medical certificate and submit it to the utility. This works in almost every state.
- Apply for LIHEAP through your state’s program, or call 211 to find local emergency energy assistance. Partial payment from an assistance program is often enough to stop a shutoff.
- Offer a payment plan. If you can pay something, propose it. Utilities are far more willing to work with you before disconnection than after.
- Save every notice, write down the name of everyone you speak to, and note the date, time, and what was said. If the utility later breaks a rule, that’s the record your state commission will need.
The people most at risk from a heat-season shutoff are often the least equipped to navigate the system: older adults living alone, people with disabilities, and low-income families already stretched thin. If you know someone in that situation, the most useful help you can offer is making the phone calls with them before a shutoff happens. Prevention is far easier than reconnection.