Service limitation: We have adopted a limitation of service policy for customers who otherwise could be disconnected. Contact our business office for more information or to learn if you qualify.
If an attempt at personal or telephone contact of a customer occupying a rental unit has been unsuccessful, the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility shall make a diligent attempt to contact the landlord of the rental unit, if known, to determine if the customer is still in occupancy and, if so, the customer's present location. The landlord shall also be informed of the date when service may be disconnected. The electric cooperative or municipal electric utility shall make a diligent attempt to inform the landlord at least 48 hours prior to disconnection of service to a tenant.
If the disconnection will affect occupants of residential units leased from the customer, the premises of any building known by the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility to contain residential units affected by disconnection shall be posted at least two days prior to disconnection, with a notice informing any occupants of the date when service will be disconnected and the reasons for the disconnection.
If the customer has received notice of disconnection and has a dispute concerning a bill for electric service, the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility may require the customer to pay a sum of money equal to the amount of the undisputed portion of the bill pending settlement and thereby avoid disconnection of service. An electric cooperative or municipal electric utility shall delay disconnection for nonpayment of the disputed bill for up to 45 days after the providing of the bill if the customer pays the undisputed amount. The 45 days shall be extended by up to 60 days if requested of the utility by the board in the event the customer files a written complaint with the board in compliance with 199-Chapter 6.
CUSTOMER RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO AVOID SHUTOFF OF ELECTRIC SERVICE FOR NONPAYMENT
Contact the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility if you believe this is the case. Contact your doctor or a public health official and ask the doctor or health official to contact the utility and state that shutting off your electric service would pose an especial health danger for a person living at your residence. The doctor or public health official must provide a written statement to the electric cooperative's or municipal electric utility's office within five days of when your doctor or public health official notifies the utility of the health condition; otherwise, your electric service may be shut off. If the utility receives this written statement, your service will not be shut off for 30 days. This 30-day delay is to allow you time to arrange payment of your utility bill or find other living arrangements. After 30 days, your service may be shut off if payment arrangements have not been made.
You may dispute your bill. You must tell the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility that you dispute the bill. You must pay the part of the bill you think is correct. If you do this, the utility will not shut off your service for 45 days from the date the bill was mailed while you and the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility work out the dispute over the part of the bill you think is incorrect. You may ask the Iowa Utilities Board for assistance in resolving the dispute (see #9 below).
If the electric cooperative or municipal electric utility has not been able to help you with your problem, you may contact the Iowa Utilities Board toll-free at You may also write the Iowa Utilities Board at 1375 E. Court Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0069, or by email at customer@iub.iowa.gov. Low-income customers may also be eligible for free legal assistance from Iowa Legal Aid and may contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-532-1275.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 199-27.4