Pennsylvania’s winter shutoff ban starts December 1 and runs through March 31, and it reaches households with income well above the usual poverty line. The state’s Public Utility Commission says its Winter Moratorium protects consumers from utility termination between those two dates, with income guidelines that go up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
The guidelines are published monthly. In the commission’s 2026 table, 250 percent of poverty works out to $3,325 a month for a household of one and $6,875 a month for a household of four, according to the PUC’s consumer brochure on protections for responsible utility customers. A household above its row can still be shut off in winter.
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Where does a household fall on the income table?
The commission lists the 2026 monthly figures for 150 percent and 250 percent of poverty by household size. The 250 percent column is the one that decides the winter ban:
- One person: $1,995 at 150 percent, $3,325 at 250 percent
- Two people: $2,705 at 150 percent, $4,508 at 250 percent
- Three people: $3,415 at 150 percent, $5,692 at 250 percent
- Four people: $4,125 at 150 percent, $6,875 at 250 percent
- Each additional person: add $710 at 150 percent, or $1,183 at 250 percent
The brochure’s note beneath the table refers to monthly federal poverty income guidelines, so a household compares its gross monthly income against the row for its size.
Who can still be shut off in winter?
The protection is for what the commission calls responsible bill-paying customers. The brochure says service can be terminated during winter without PUC approval if the customer is not a responsible customer or if the household income is outside the utility’s income-qualifying guidelines.
That makes the income table the practical test. A household at or under its 250 percent figure falls inside the winter ban, and one over it does not.
What if someone in the home is seriously ill?
A separate protection covers serious illness at any time of year. The commission says utility service will not be disconnected if someone in the household is seriously ill and a licensed health care provider certifies that disconnection would harm that person. Acceptable documentation is a letter from a licensed physician, a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner.
An initial medical certification can last up to 30 days, with an extension of up to an additional 60 days. The bill is still owed while a certificate is on file.
What if the lights are already off?
During the winter period, the brochure says the utility must restore service within 24 hours after the customer pays and meets the utility’s conditions. If street or sidewalk digging is required, the utility has seven days. Outside the winter period, restoration takes three to seven days after payment and conditions are met.
The commission also says the utility must offer one payment arrangement and may be required to offer another, depending on the circumstances. The brochure points to Customer Assistance Programs, which the utility will explain, and notes that the PUC cannot set up a payment arrangement for arrears under one. Breaking a payment arrangement carries a price. If a customer breaks an arrangement the PUC established, the commission generally cannot help again unless the household’s income changes significantly or special circumstances apply, such as a chronic illness that causes a major loss of income, catastrophic damage to the residence, or more dependents in the home. A deposit may also be required if a customer has poor or no credit history or if service was terminated before for unpaid bills.
The PUC’s consumer line is 1-800-692-7380.
Inside Pennsylvania’s 250% line for winter protection?
A household that sits even a few dollars over its row of the PUC table loses the winter shutoff ban, and the income guidelines are monthly, so a change in pension or Social Security can move a household across the line. Missing that detail is how a December bill turns into a disconnection notice.
The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit collects heating, cooling and home-repair help for older homeowners, with an application log and renewal calendar for tracking each program’s dates and paperwork. Part 5 covers utilities and home costs, and Part 7 sets out the yearly routine.
Get the winter heat-help log in The Senior Property Tax & Home-Cost Relief Kit →
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
