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.
Paskenta is an unincorporated town located in south-western Tehama County, California. Paskenta is the Indian term for "under the bank". Historically, it had greater local importance due to the presence of an active lumber mill. The ZIP Code is 96074. The community is inside area code 530. Within Paskenta, there is a store for Gas and Food also called "Paskenta". Currently, it is being reconstructed.