Military Disconnection Protection
Payment Arrangements
If you are having trouble paying your electric bill and a member of your household has been ordered into active duty, for deployment, or for a permanent change in duty station during the period of active duty, Minnesota Law (Statue 325E.028) offers protection from disconnection.
How to Qualify
To be considered for military service personnel protection, you must meet the criteria outlined in Minnesota Statue 325E.028 and enter into a payment arrangement plan, which must be kept, with Runestone Electric Association (REA).
Payment Arrangement Plans
If your household income is below the state median household income, pay ten percent of your household’s gross monthly income toward your REA bill. If your household income is above the state median household income, make and keep a payment plan. If you receive energy assistance, pay ten percent of your household’s gross monthly income toward your REA bill.
How to Apply
Complete the protection from disconnection form and mail it along with the necessary forms to REA.
Right to Appeal
If you and REA cannot agree on a payment plan, you have the right to appeal to the REA Board of Directors. Please call REA to request an appeal. You will not be disconnected during the appeal process.
Notice of Rights for Households of Military Service Personnel
(“Utility Payment Arrangements for Military Service Personnel” Under Minnesota Statutes Section 325E.028)
For household income below the state median household income, or for households receiving energy assistance:
Runestone Electric Association cannot disconnect the electric service of a residential customer if a member of the household has been issued:
- Orders (for active duty, for deployment, or for a permanent change in duty station during a period of active duty, deployment, or change in duty station);
- Enters into an agreement with Runestone Electric Association for monthly payments of ten percent of the customer’s gross monthly income; and
- The residential customer remains reasonably current with those payments.
For household income above the state median household income:
Runestone Electric Association cannot disconnect the electric service of a residential customer if a member of the household has been issued:
- Orders (for active duty, for deployment, or for a permanent change in duty station during a period of active duty, deployment, or change in duty station);
- Enters into an agreement with Runestone Electric Association establishing a reasonable monthly payment schedule that considers the financial resources of the household; and
- The residential customer remains reasonably current with those payments.
“Household income” means household income measured after the date of the orders referred to above.
Application to Service Limiters: The term “disconnect” includes the installation by Runestone Electric Association of a service or load limiter or any device that limits or interrupts electric service in any way.
Right to Appeal: It Runestone Electric Association and you are unable to agree on the establishment, reasonableness, or modification of a payment schedule or on the reasonable timeliness of your payments under a payment schedule, then Runestone Electric Association will personally “serve” (hand to you in person) or mail a notice (“Notice”) that agreement has not been reached or that payments have not been reasonably timely. You may then appeal to the Board of Directors of Runestone Electric Association by completing the appeal form that is available upon request from Runestone Electric Association.
Time to Appeal: If you are served personally with Notice, then you must appeal within seven (7) working days. If you receive notice by mail, then you must appeal within ten (10) working days after Runestone Electric Association deposited its First Class mailed notice to you.
Disconnection Forbidden Pending Appeal: Runestone Electric Association will not disconnect service to you while an appeal is pending.
Disconnection if you do not Appeal: If you do not appeal, then your service may be disconnected without further notice.