* § 53-a. Prohibition of utilities engaging in detrimental conduct towards a residential customer. 1. A utility corporation or municipality, or energy services companies subject to the department's uniform business practices and section three hundred forty-nine and three hundred forty-nine-d of the general business law, also known as ESCOs, shall not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any residential customer in connection with the handling of a residential customer complaint, the offering and/or negotiating of a deferred payment agreement, or the collection of an unpaid balance or any other obligation owed by such customer.

1. 2. All utilities or municipal utilities or ESCOs in violation of this section shall be subject to fines, penalties and enforcement by the department pursuant to sections twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-five-a, and twenty-six of this chapter, and all such other legal or equitable remedies as may be necessary or convenient for protection of consumers against the prohibited behaviors described in subdivision one of this section.
2. 3. The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this section. * NB Effective December 8, 2021