Oklahoma's 32 degree and 101 heat index shutoff limits, medical certificates, deferred payment plans, state energy help and Corporation Commission complaints.
Which providers follow Corporation Commission rules
In Oklahoma, the Corporation Commission (OCC) sets disconnection rules for the utilities it regulates. Its notices list six electric companies: Oklahoma Gas and Electric, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Empire District Electric, and three cooperatives, Arkansas Valley Electric, Canadian Valley Electric and Northeast Oklahoma Electric. Gas utilities such as Oklahoma Natural Gas follow a matching set of OCC gas rules. Municipal utilities are outside OCC regulation, so a city-run electric or water system sets its own protections. Check your bill to see which kind of provider you have, because that decides which rules apply and where a complaint goes.
Forecast-based limits for cold and heat
Oklahoma ties weather protection to forecasts rather than calendar dates. Under the electric rule, OAC 165:35-21-10, and the parallel gas rule, a utility must suspend disconnection of heating-related service when the National Weather Service forecast shows the temperature dropping below 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 24 hours. The utility checks the forecast between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. on the scheduled shutoff day, and an updated forecast that day controls. For cooling-related electric service, disconnections stop when the forecast heat index is 101 degrees or higher that day, or when the actual heat index reaches 101. These pauses delay a shutoff but do not erase what you owe.
Medical certificates and pending assistance
If losing service would create a life-threatening situation, tell the utility right away. You then have 30 calendar days to return a medical certificate signed by a licensed medical doctor or osteopath you choose, and the utility supplies the form free. Disconnection is suspended for 30 days from your first notice, and the utility may grant one more 30-day period if the condition requires it, as long as you ask before the first period ends. Service does not have to continue past 60 days without full payment or an arrangement. Separately, if you have applied for financial help and told the utility, it must delay disconnection at least 20 calendar days from the date the written notice was mailed or delivered.
Notices and deferred payment agreements
Before an electric shutoff for nonpayment, the OCC rules require a first written notice at least 10 days from the date it is mailed. Between November 15 and April 15, a second notice of at least 48 hours, or two business days, is also required, and it can come by mail, in person or by phone. You can sign a deferred payment agreement up to, but not including, the day of disconnection. It covers future bills plus the old balance in reasonable installments based on your income, account size, payment history and reasons for falling behind, and the utility may ask for a partial payment when you sign. In master-metered buildings, the notice must also be posted in a common area at least 10 days ahead.
Winter Heating, ECAP and Summer Cooling from OKDHS
Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) runs the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in three parts: Winter Heating, the Energy Crisis Assistance Program (ECAP) and Summer Cooling. Each opens for online enrollment at OKDHSLive.org and stays open until funds are used. For federal fiscal year 2027, OKDHS lists anticipated openings of December 15, 2026 for Winter Heating, April 13, 2027 for ECAP and July 13, 2027 for Summer Cooling, and warns the dates may be delayed. Life-threatening crisis help is available year-round for households with someone who needs lifesaving medical equipment or during extreme temperatures. OKDHS also contracts with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for weatherization, which you can apply for at mywaplink.org.
Share the Warmth and OCC Consumer Services
Oklahoma Natural Gas customers can apply for Share the Warmth, a winter heating bill program funded by customer contributions, at their nearest Salvation Army location. You must be the person responsible for the heating bill, live in a county Oklahoma Natural Gas serves, and face an immediate financial emergency. If a regulated utility does not follow the rules, file a complaint with OCC Consumer Services through the online public utility complaint form or by email at CS@occ.ok.gov. Before filing, confirm your provider is regulated by the OCC, since municipal utilities and city waste services are handled locally.
Settlemont for an Oklahoma bill that is still due
Settlemont works best once you know the exact amount and due date that matter, for example after a deferred payment agreement is set. You send one Utility, Medical or Education bill through a short private form, with no statement upload, and later identify the biller privately using a one-time access code. Staff verify the biller, the bill owner and the current balance, and they screen for duplicates and fraud. Supporters see your first name, Oklahoma, the category and the verified amount, and their support is paid directly to OG&E, PSO, Oklahoma Natural Gas or your other biller. You never pay Settlemont, and a posted bill may not be paid in time, so keep talking with the utility.
Sources
- Oklahoma Corporation Commission: Notice to electric utility customers about disconnection of service
- Oklahoma Administrative Code 165:35-21-10: Delays to disconnection of residential service
- Oklahoma Administrative Code 165:35-21-20: Notice of disconnection of service
- Oklahoma Human Services: Utility Services (LIHEAP)
- Oklahoma Corporation Commission: Public Utility Complaints
- Oklahoma Natural Gas: Share The Warmth
Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.
Related resources
Use Settlemont
Post a bill privately, browse verified bills, or request a sponsor program.