Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama. The city is home to the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, Talladega Superspeedway, and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. The Talladega Municipal Airport, a public general aviation airport, is also located within the city limits. Talladega is a Muscogee (Creek) Native American word derived from TVLVTEKE. While the town's name is pronounced /ˌtæləˈdiɡə/ by local inhabitants, the racetrack's name is pronounced /ˌtæləˈdeɪɡə/ by auto racing fans.