(a) No gas corporation shall discontinue service for nonpayment of bills rendered, or for failure to post a required deposit, unless:
(1) it shall have verified that payment has not been received at any office of the company or at any office of an authorized collection agent through the end of the notice period required by this Part; and
(2) it shall have verified on the day disconnection occurs that payment has not been posted to the customer's account as of the opening of business on that day, or shall have complied with procedures established pursuant to section 275.4(b) of this Part.
(b) In the case of a company which serves a geographical area of this State involving more than six counties, the commission may grant a waiver of the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section upon approval by the commission of an alternate procedure for verification of payments which accomplishes the basic purposes of such paragraph.