Contact: UPPCO (906) 449-2013
You can receive a medical hold preventing service from being shut off for nonpayment on your natural gas and/or electric bill for up to 21 days if you or a member of your household has an existing medical condition that would be aggravated by the lack of utility service. Your condition must be certified by a physician or public health office on a Michigan Public Service Commission-approved Medical Certification Form. The form must state the medical condition, medical equipment, and specific time period a shutoff of utility service would make the medical condition worse.
If the shutoff of service occurred before a medical emergency is approved, the utility will restore service at no cost to you for 21 days. You can obtain an extension of the medical hold and a postponement of shutoff of service for a total of 63 days (3 separate medical holds) in any 12-month period per household member. Annually, UPPCO is not required to grant shutoff extensions totaling more than 126 days per household. Customers will be granted a three-business-day grace period from shutoff of utility service for time to have the Medical Certification Form completed. UPPCO will not require payment for an after-hours reconnect fee or a deposit as a condition of restoring service. The Medical Certification Form is available from the link above and can be requested in hard copy by calling UPPCO at (906) 449-2013.