In light of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Xcel Energy has announced that it will not shut off gas or electric services to residential customers whose payments are severely overdue.

The utility, which serves eight states, is asking customers to call them to work out a payment plan.

“We are not going to disconnect residential gas and electric until further notice,” said Matt Lindstrom, a media relations representative for Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy.

Xcel serves more than 3 million electric customers and 1.8 million natural gas customers in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.

More information is available on the Xcel Facebook page at facebook.com/xcelenergy.

Xcel isn’t the only utility offering more leeway during the pandemic. At the request of St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, St. Paul Regional Water will suspend water shut-offs throughout its service area for 30 days.