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.
Prather is an unincorporated community in Fresno County, California. It is located 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 1657 feet (505 m). The post office in Prather first opened in 1914, closed in 1935, re-opened in 1936, and moved in 1939. The name honors Joseph L. Prather who came to California in 1872 and whose ranch became the site of the town.