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.
Hartsel is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Park County, Colorado, United States. Hartsel was founded in 1880. Located at the geographic center of the state, it is often referred to as "The Heart of Colorado". The community's namesake is Samuel Hartsel, a local cattle rancher. The Hartsel Post Office has the ZIP Code 80449. The ZCTA for 80449 had a population of 677 at the 2000 census.