Minnesota Energy Resources urges customers who are behind on utility bills to pay or make arrangements to ensure continuing service.

Customers who have not paid their utility bills this winter will be in danger of losing natural gas service soon. To ensure continuing service, customers must pay the bill or contact Minnesota Energy at 1-800-889-9508 to make arrangements to pay. A down payment based on the size of the bill and customer history, as well as a plan to pay the balance of the bill in monthly installments is required.

Customers who believe they may qualify for low-income energy assistance should contact their local agency to apply before funds are depleted. A list by county is also available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website. Customers who have a cold weather rule payment plan will see those plans expire on Friday and need to contact the utility if additional arrangement needed.

Minnesota Energy Resources officials also remind customers that this time of year scam calls from people representing themselves as employees of the company could occur. The caller demands immediate payment, generally from a pre-paid credit card. Minnesota Energy Resources does not ask for payments in that manner.

Customers who struggle with winter bills could choose the Minnesota Energy Resources Budget Billing program, in which they pay an average bill monthly rather than seasonal high and low bills.