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The proposal unveiled Friday would bar service termination if the weather forecast for the next five days says the temperature will rise above 95 degrees.

Similar language is proposed for the other extreme, meaning the thermometer dipping to freezing in the coming five days.

For the moment, there should be no one disconnected: The commission earlier this year implemented an emergency rule barring shutoffs between June 1 and Oct. 15.

But that is a temporary rule that will end, leaving in place existing regulations. Those pretty much allow power companies to pull the plug except in cases where weather will be “especially dangerous to health,� with no definition of how hot or cold such weather would have to be.

The new proposal also would beef up existing requirements for electric companies that want to cut power on other days to provide notice to customers beforehand.

That would include finding out from each customer his or her preferred method of communication. Notice would have to be provided at least two days ahead of power termination.

The really significant change here would require utilities to personally notify the customer or an adult at that address at least 48 hours ahead of time. That would include at least two efforts for in-person contact.

That is directly contrary to the policy and practices of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Public Service, the state’s largest electric company.

In fact, Don Brandt, CEO of Pinnacle West Capital Corp., APS’ parent, has acknowledged in writing that the company specifically avoids such face-to-face contact as customers “have sometimes threatened and even injured� utility employees and contractors who told them their power was in danger of being cut. Instead, the utility representatives simply hang a notice on the door.

“To protect our employees and contractors, APS instructs them not to knock on customer doors or ring doorbells when visiting a residence to place a door hanger,� Brandt told regulators.

The Corporation Commission proposal also suggests requiring that there be not one but at least two written notices posted at the residence. It spells out they would have to be “in conspicuous locations� such as the front door, and by the garage door for people who enter the house that way.

After all that, the rules still would require the utility to telephone the customer.

Commission staff also seeks to ensure that customers who get cutoff notices have a chance to respond. That means the utility’s offices and call centers would have to be open on the day the termination is scheduled and on the following day.

The emergency rules that now govern electric companies regulated by the commission were adopted after public reports that a Sun City West woman died of heat-related injury after APS terminated her service on a 107-degree day after she paid $125 of a $176 bill.

While the focus of the commission has so far been solely on electricity, the staff proposal also deals with natural gas.

In that situation, the restrictions would kick in only when the forecast is that the temperature will not rise above 32 degrees. Here, too, the proposal would require an effort to personally contact the customer. The plan also would extend to water, sewer and telephone services.

Written comments about the plan are due by Sept. 23.

The commission is scheduled to hold a special open meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, on APS disconnect policies.