1. Every gas corporation, electric corporation or municipality shall provide residential service upon the oral or written request of an applicant, provided that the commission may require that requests for service be in writing under circumstances as it deems necessary and proper as set forth by regulation, and provided further that the applicant:

1. (a) makes full payment for residential utility service provided to a prior account in his name; or
2. (b) agrees to make payments under a deferred payment plan of any amounts due for service to a prior account in his name and makes a down payment based on criteria to be established by the commission. No such down payment shall exceed one-half of any money due from an applicant for residential utility service, or three months average billing, whichever is less; or
3. (c) is a recipient of public assistance, supplemental security income or additional state payments pursuant to the social services law, or is an applicant for such assistance, income or payments, and the utility corporation or the municipality receives payment from, or is notified of the applicant's eligibility for utility payments by the social services official of the social services district in which such person resides for amounts due for service to a prior account in the applicant's name, together with guarantee of future payments to the extent authorized by the social services law.