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.
Monroe is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,247 at the 2000 census. The current first selectman is Steve Vavrek. The town was recently featured in Forbes' "Best Places to Live" feature article. Monroe, like its neighbors, is largely considered a bedroom community of New York City and Stamford. Monroe's neighbors are Newtown, Easton, Oxford, Shelton, and Trumbull.