If you’ve received a utility shut-off notice in Pennsylvania, you can stop the disconnection by calling the utility to set up a payment arrangement, applying for a LIHEAP grant that pays the bill directly, submitting a medical certificate, or filing a complaint with the Public Utility Commission. Each of these works only if you act before the shut-off date printed on your notice, so the first thing to do is check that date and count the days you have left.
How Much Time You Actually Have
Pennsylvania utilities cannot disconnect your service without going through three required steps, and each one is a chance to stop the process.1Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. 66 Pa.C.S. Chapter 14 – Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act
- A written termination notice must arrive at least 10 days before the proposed shut-off date.2Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.91 – General Notice Provisions and Contents of Termination Notice
- At least 3 days before disconnection, the utility must try to reach you or another adult in the home by phone, in person, or electronically.1Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. 66 Pa.C.S. Chapter 14 – Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act
- Immediately before shutting off service, a utility employee must try to speak with a responsible adult at your home. If you can show proof of payment, a pending dispute, or a medical emergency at that moment, the disconnection cannot go forward.3Cornell Law Institute. 52 Pa. Code 56.94 – Procedures Immediately Prior to Termination
Phone contact counts as complete if the utility tried on two separate days between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. They don’t actually have to reach you. If you see missed calls from an unfamiliar number during this window, call back right away. A termination notice stays valid for 60 days from the date it’s issued.
Call the Utility and Ask for a Payment Arrangement
The single fastest thing you can do is call the utility and ask for a payment plan. State law requires the company to explain every option for keeping service on when you contact them about a pending termination, including a payment arrangement, enrollment in a Customer Assistance Program, or filing a dispute.4Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.97 – Procedures Upon Customer or Occupant Contact Prior to Termination The utility must use “good faith and fair judgment” and weigh your ability to pay, the size of the balance, your payment history, and how long the debt has been building.
If the utility won’t offer reasonable terms, the PUC can set the arrangement for you. The maximum length depends on your household income:1Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. 66 Pa.C.S. Chapter 14 – Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act
- At or below 150% of the federal poverty level: up to 5 years to pay.
- Between 150% and 250%: up to 2 years.
- Between 250% and 300%: up to 1 year.
- Above 300%: up to 6 months.
One warning. Breaking a payment arrangement is grounds for disconnection, and the PUC generally will not order a second plan if you default on the first without a significant change in your circumstances. Treat whatever you agree to as non-negotiable.
File a Complaint With the PUC to Freeze the Shut-Off
A properly filed PUC complaint stops the termination until the complaint is resolved, as long as you keep paying the portions of your bill that aren’t in dispute.5Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code Chapter 56 – Standards and Billing Practices for Residential Public Utility Service – Section 56.141 There is one prerequisite: you must have contacted the utility about the issue first. The PUC may close your case if you skipped that step.
If a shut-off is imminent, call the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 rather than filing online. Phone complaints are handled faster, with response times currently running 3 to 5 business days.6Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Informal Complaints While your complaint is open, keep paying your current monthly usage. Stop paying and the utility can proceed with the shut-off even with a complaint pending.
Submit a Medical Certificate
If anyone in your household has a serious illness or medical condition that losing utility service would make worse, a medical certificate postpones disconnection for up to 30 days.7Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.114 – Length of Postponement; Renewals A licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant must sign it and include a license number.8Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.113 – Medical Certifications The provider can send the certificate to the utility directly or give it to you to submit.
Certificates can be renewed if the condition persists and you’ve been making good-faith payments. If you haven’t kept up, renewals are limited to two additional 30-day certificates for the same unpaid balance, so a maximum of 90 days.7Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.114 – Length of Postponement; Renewals The certificate doesn’t erase what you owe. Use the time to line up grants or a payment plan.
Apply for a LIHEAP Grant to Pay the Bill
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides cash grants between $200 and $1,000 that are paid directly to your utility company and credited to your account.9Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program The amount depends on household size, income, and fuel type. For the 2025–2026 program year, a single person qualifies with annual income up to $23,940, and a family of four qualifies up to $49,500.10Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Appendix A – Income Limits for 2025-2026 LIHEAP
If you’re in an active heating emergency (shut-off notice on your heating source, empty fuel tank, broken furnace), LIHEAP crisis benefits are a separate grant of up to $1,000 and are processed faster than regular grants.11Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Shapiro Administration Announces Opening of 2025-26 LIHEAP Season You can choose to have your income calculated based on either the past 30 days or the past 12 months, whichever gives you a lower figure.10Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Appendix A – Income Limits for 2025-2026 LIHEAP
To apply, you’ll need proof of income for every household member, Social Security numbers for everyone in the household, and your most recent utility bill or shut-off notice. File through the COMPASS online portal or in person at your local County Assistance Office.9Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Allow up to 30 days for a regular grant; crisis grants move faster.
Enroll in a Customer Assistance Program or Hardship Fund
Every PUC-regulated utility must offer a Customer Assistance Program that caps your monthly bill at a percentage of household income rather than charging you for actual usage.12Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Utility Assistance Programs If you’ve fallen behind, enrolling in a CAP for the first time can freeze your existing debt. Keep up with the reduced payments and the program may forgive part or all of what you owed before enrollment. Call your utility to apply; each company runs its own version with different income thresholds.
Utilities also maintain hardship funds, typically one-time grants funded by customer donations and matched by the utility. The Dollar Energy Fund is the largest in Pennsylvania, partnering with companies like FirstEnergy to put grants directly on your account.13Dollar Energy Fund. Dollar Energy Fund You usually have to apply for LIHEAP first before a hardship fund will consider you, because these grants are meant to supplement government aid.
Weatherization for the Long Term
If high energy costs are the underlying problem, the Weatherization Assistance Program can lower your bills by making your home more energy efficient at no cost. Pennsylvania’s program is open to households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, with priority given to the elderly, people with disabilities, families with children, and high energy users.14Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Services include insulation, air sealing, and safety checks on heating equipment. The DCED website lists the weatherization agency that serves your county.
Winter Rules May Already Protect You
From December 1 through March 31, electric and gas utilities cannot disconnect any household with income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, and water utilities providing heat-related service face the same restriction.15Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.100 – Winter Termination Procedures Households that include someone age 65 or older, a child age 12 or younger, or a member with a medical certificate get additional protection on top of that.
During winter, if a utility cannot reach anyone in person at the time of disconnection, it must post a 48-hour notice at your home before proceeding.1Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. 66 Pa.C.S. Chapter 14 – Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act Utilities are also required to contact every household that was disconnected during the prior year within 90 days before December 1 and try to arrange restoration.15Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.100 – Winter Termination Procedures
If You Rent and the Account Is in Your Landlord’s Name
When the landlord falls behind, you don’t lose service without warning. The utility must notify the landlord, the landlord must hand over tenant names and addresses, and the utility then must give tenants 30 days’ notice of the proposed shut-off along with an explanation of your rights.
Here’s what tenants often miss: you can keep service on by paying an amount equal to the most recent 30-day bill, even though the account isn’t in your name. Pay before the shut-off date and service continues. Pay after disconnection and the utility must restore it. Whatever you pay can be deducted from your rent. The winter moratorium also generally bars utilities from disconnecting landlord accounts between December 1 and March 31.15Pennsylvania Code. 52 Pa. Code 56.100 – Winter Termination Procedures
If Your Service Is Already Off
Reconnection timing depends on the season. Between December 1 and March 31, the utility must restore service within 24 hours after you pay what’s required and meet any other conditions. The rest of the year, expect three to seven days.16Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act – Consumer Guide
The utility can require a deposit, a reconnection fee, and some portion of your overdue balance. If you’ve broken two or more previous payment arrangements, the company can demand the full balance before turning service back on. You may also be asked for proof of income.16Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Responsible Utility Customer Protection Act – Consumer Guide If reconnection costs are out of reach, apply for a LIHEAP crisis grant and ask about CAP enrollment at the same time. Getting into a CAP before reconnection can meaningfully improve your terms.
Bankruptcy is sometimes mentioned as a utility rescue because the automatic stay briefly blocks disconnection, but federal law lets utilities require a deposit or other adequate assurance within 20 days of the filing, and bankruptcy does not erase what you already owe for service.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 USC 366 – Utility Service For a shut-off alone, the Pennsylvania-specific options above work faster and cost less.