Will I Get Cut Off?
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Colorado

COModerate
10
Days notice (electric)
10
Days notice (gas)
✓
Winter moratorium
✓
Medical exemption

What to do today

If you have a shutoff notice, the date on it is the one that matters. These steps work best in this order.

  1. Call your utility before the date on your notice

    Ask for a payment plan or a deferred payment arrangement. Most states require your utility to offer one, and asking before the date is what keeps your service on. The number is on your bill.

  2. Apply for energy assistance

    LIHEAP helps with utility bills and does not have to be paid back. Call the national referral line on 1-866-674-6327 weekdays 9am to 7pm Eastern, or visit energyhelp.us.

  3. Dial 211 for local help

    211 is free and connects you to local funds for utilities, rent and food. Some local agencies can pay a utility directly to stop a shutoff.

  4. Ask about medical certification

    Colorado recognises medical protections. If anyone in your home has a serious illness or relies on powered medical equipment, a note from a doctor can delay a shutoff. Ask your utility for the form today, because it usually has to be back within days.

  5. Contact the regulator if your utility will not work with you

    puc.colorado.gov handles complaints against regulated utilities in Colorado. Filing one can pause a disconnection while it is looked at.

ElectricGasWaterMedicalLow IncomeRegulator

Electric Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required10 days
Reconnection feeVaries by utility
Winter moratorium: November 1–May 1 shut-off protection for low-income customers with a 'hardship' designation, enrolled through utility or Community Action Agency (must renew annually). Not a universal moratorium — income-qualified only.

Gas Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required10 days
Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Major Utilities

Atmos Energy Colorado

Colorado

30-day notice
A medical certificate from a Colorado-licensed physician or authorized health care practitioner postpones disconnection for 90 days from the certificate date, usable once per 12 consecutive months
Colorado PUC-authorized procedure: Atmos mails a written termination notice, and the disconnection date is 30 days after that notice is sent
Service will not be disconnected if the temperature is predicted to be 32F or lower during the following 24 hours, or on the day before a company nonworking day
Reconnection charges are $45.00 during normal working hours and $85.00 other than normal working hours, plus a $30.00 trip charge and $8.00 collection fee where applicable
This row previously cited only Atmos's generic FAQ page, which does not carry the day count or exact fee
the figures above were being carried, with the wrong state name, on Arkansas's gas row instead
They belong here
Reconnection fee:$45.00 during normal working hours; $85.00 other than normal working hours; plus a $30.00 trip charge and $8.00 collection fee where applicable
Assistance Programs

Percentage of Income Payment Plan for low-income customers; installment plans; energy assistance via 211; Energy Outreach Colorado and Colorado Energy Office partnerships for bill payment assistance and weatherization

"Colorado Customer Rights and Responsibilities | Atmos Energy." atmosenergy.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Water Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice requiredNot regulated / varies

Medical & Vulnerable Household Exemptions

Medical certificate from a licensed physician postpones disconnection for 90 days. Valid once per 12-month consecutive period.

Low-Income Protections

LIHEAP available. Colorado LEAP program provides energy bill assistance for income-eligible households. Low-income customers may avoid disconnection by paying at least 1/10 of the past-due amount and entering a payment arrangement.

Your State Regulator

File a complaint or get help from Colorado's utility regulator →

Data last verified: 2026-09-21. Rules may change — verify with your state regulator.