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.
Highland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population in 2000 (US Census) was 44,605 and in 2008 was estimated to be 51,096. It also refers to a geographical area of the City of San Bernardino (generally north of Highland Avenue and east of Del Rosa Avenue to the eastern city limits), and parts of unincorporated San Bernardino County.