Section 35. Reconnection of service

1. The commission shall by regulation
  establish  reasonable  conditions  under  which  an  electric   or   gas
  corporation or municipality shall be required to take all actions within
  such  corporation  or  municipality's  control  and,  where  applicable,
  consistent with the provision of the agreement for commodity service, if
  any, between the corporation and the customer, provided such  provisions
  are  consistent  with  this  article to reconnect service to residential
  customers. Such  conditions  shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to,
  requirements  for  reconnection  of  service  within  twenty-four hours,
  unless prevented by circumstances beyond the utility's or municipality's
  control, (a) upon receipt by a corporation or municipality of  the  full
  amount  of  arrears which were the basis for termination of service, (b)
  upon the signing of a deferred payment plan together with a down payment
  based on criteria to be established by the commission, provided that  no
  such  down  payment  shall  exceed  one-half of the amount which was the
  basis of termination, or the amount of three months  billing,  whichever
  is  less, (c) upon the direction of the commission, (d) upon the receipt
  of a commitment of a direct payment or a written  guarantee  of  payment
  from  the  social  services  official of the social services district in
  which the customer resides or (e) where the utility or municipality  has
  notice that a serious impairment to health or safety is likely to result
  if service is not reconnected. With respect to reconnection on the basis
  of  serious  impairment  of health or safety doubts shall be resolved in
  favor of reconnection of service.  The  chairman  shall  designate  such
  officers  and  employees  as  he  deems necessary to act on requests for
  service reconnections.
    2. Where any  utility  corporation  or  municipality  is  required  to
  reconnect  service  within twenty-four hours and fails or neglects to do
  so without good cause as determined by the commission, it shall  forfeit
  and pay to the customer the sum of not less than twenty-five dollars nor
  more  than  fifty dollars per day for each day thereafter, as determined
  by the commission, that such service is not supplied.