N.Y. Public Service Law § 35: Reconnection of service

§ 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.