To stop your electricity from being shut off, call your utility company before the disconnection date and ask for a payment arrangement, then apply for every assistance program and legal protection you qualify for. Utilities almost always prefer a payment plan over a disconnection, and most states layer on additional rules that give you more time, financial help, or outright protection in certain circumstances. Your options shrink sharply once the power is actually cut, so speed matters more than anything else.
Call the Utility Before the Shutoff Date
The phone call is the single most important step. Customer service representatives handle these conversations constantly and have specific tools they can offer, but only if you ask. When you call, ask about three things by name.
A payment extension pushes your due date back, usually by a few days to a couple of weeks. Most providers allow at least one or two extensions per year.
An installment or deferred payment plan spreads your past-due balance across future monthly bills. Terms vary, but plans commonly run 10 to 12 months and require a small down payment, often around 10 to 15 percent of the overdue amount.
A hardship or low-income discount program reduces your rate or caps your bill as a percentage of your income. Utilities use different names for these programs, so ask directly whether any income-based discount or bill reduction is available.
If you already know a bill is going to be a problem, call before the due date passes. Utilities are more flexible with customers who reach out proactively than with those who wait until a shutoff notice arrives.
Ask About a Medical Certificate
If someone in your household relies on electrically powered medical equipment or has a serious illness that would be worsened by losing power, you may qualify for a medical certificate protection. A doctor provides written confirmation of the medical need, and once the utility receives it, the disconnection is postponed.
How long the protection lasts depends on your state. Some states provide 30-day windows that can be renewed; others are shorter. The protection does not erase the debt. You still owe the balance, and most states require you to enter a payment arrangement during the protected period. Ask your utility exactly what documentation they need and how long the protection runs where you live.
Apply for LIHEAP and Call 211
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is federally funded and helps low-income households pay heating and cooling bills, including emergency assistance during an energy crisis.1Administration for Children and Families. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program LIHEAP can pay part of your bill directly, prevent a shutoff, or help with reconnection if the power has already been cut.
Eligibility depends on income and household size. Federal law caps eligibility at either 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or 60 percent of your state’s median income, whichever is higher, and states cannot set the floor below 110 percent of the poverty guidelines.2The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Income Eligibility for States and Territories In practice, a family of four earning roughly $47,000 or less may qualify in many states, though the thresholds differ.
To apply, visit Energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline at 1-866-674-6327, available weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.1Administration for Children and Families. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Dialing 211 connects you to a free, confidential service that matches you with local assistance programs, including utility bill help. The 211 network handles millions of utility-related requests each year.3United Way 211. Utilities Assistance You can call, text, or search at 211.org. Local charities, religious organizations, and community action agencies often maintain emergency funds specifically for utility bills, and some utilities partner with nonprofits to make direct payments to your account. These funds run out quickly, especially in winter and summer, so apply as soon as you learn about them.
Know the Disconnection Rules in Your State
There is no single federal law governing utility disconnections. Each state’s public utility commission sets the rules, and those rules often provide more protection than customers realize.
Notice Requirements
Most states require your utility to give written notice at least 10 days before shutting off service, with some states requiring 15 days or more.4The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Disconnect Policies Many states also prohibit disconnections on weekends, holidays, or the day before a holiday. If your utility didn’t follow the proper notice procedure, that alone may be grounds to challenge the shutoff.
Winter Moratoriums
Roughly half the states impose winter moratoriums that prohibit disconnections during the coldest months. Dates vary, but most run from around November 1 through March 15 or April 15.4The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Disconnect Policies Some states use temperature triggers instead, blocking shutoffs whenever the forecast drops below a set threshold, often 32°F.
An important caveat: the moratorium stops the disconnection, not the bill. Your balance keeps growing during the protected months, and when the moratorium lifts you can face a large past-due amount with the threat of immediate shutoff. Use the protected period to set up a payment plan or apply for assistance, not as a grace period.
Hot Weather Protections
About 21 states have hot weather disconnection protections.5The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Hot Weather Disconnect Policies Some block disconnections whenever the temperature exceeds a threshold, commonly between 90°F and 105°F. Others suspend shutoffs whenever the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory or excessive heat warning for your area. If you live in a hot climate, check what your state has on the books.
Filing a Complaint
If you believe your utility violated disconnection rules or refused to offer a payment arrangement it’s required to provide, file a complaint with your state’s public utility commission. These agencies regulate utility companies and investigate consumer complaints. The complaint process is usually free and available online, and filing can sometimes trigger a review that pauses the disconnection while the commission investigates.
If You Rent and the Account Is in Your Landlord’s Name
A landlord cannot legally shut off your utilities to force you out. Cutting power, water, or gas as a way to push a tenant to leave is considered an illegal eviction tactic, often called constructive eviction, and can expose the landlord to legal consequences in virtually every state.
The harder situation is when your landlord’s failure to pay causes the utility to disconnect service. Some states require the utility to notify tenants before shutting off service at a property where the landlord holds the account, giving tenants time to pay directly or seek help. If your landlord is responsible for utilities under your lease and the power gets cut, document everything and contact your local tenant rights organization or legal aid office. You may have grounds for lease termination or damages.
Bankruptcy Can Pause a Disconnection
Filing for bankruptcy triggers a federal protection under the Bankruptcy Code that prevents your utility from disconnecting service solely because you filed or because you owe a pre-bankruptcy balance.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 366 – Utility Service The protection covers electricity, gas, water, and other essential services.
The catch is a hard deadline. Within 20 days of filing, you must provide the utility with “adequate assurance” that you can pay for future service, usually a cash deposit, though prepayment or another form of security also qualifies.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 366 – Utility Service Miss that window and the utility regains the right to disconnect. For Chapter 11 filings, the deadline is 30 days. Bankruptcy doesn’t erase pre-filing debt by itself, but it can stop the immediate crisis and buy time.
Don’t Fall for Shutoff Scams
Scammers target people who are already worried about losing power. They call, text, or email pretending to represent your utility, warning that service will be cut within hours unless you pay immediately. These scams spike around extreme weather events.
The payment method is the tell. If anyone demands a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, it’s a scam. Your real utility will never ask you to pay that way.7Federal Trade Commission (Consumer Advice). Avoid Weather-Related Utility Scams After the Recent Winter Storm If you get an unexpected call or message about your account, hang up and call the number printed on your bill. Don’t click links in unsolicited texts or emails, even ones that look official.
If the Power Has Already Been Cut
Once service is off, your priority shifts to reconnection, and the utility will not restore power automatically, even in extreme weather. Call immediately. To get service back you’ll usually need to pay part of the past-due balance, agree to a payment plan for the rest (often spread over six months or more), and cover a reconnection fee. After-hours or same-day reconnections cost more. Some states exempt low-income customers or those with a medical certificate from reconnection fees.
If you can’t afford any upfront payment, ask about emergency assistance and hardship waivers, and apply for LIHEAP emergency crisis assistance, which can sometimes cover reconnection costs directly.