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.
Marengo is a town in Liberty Township, Crawford County, Indiana, United States. The population was 829 at the 2000 census. One of the tourist attractions and sources of revenue for the town is Marengo Cave, a U.S. National Landmark. Originally discovered in 1883 by two school children, it today offers guided tours. Marengo was devastated by an F3 tornado in 2004, resulting in damage to nearly 75 percent of the town and the death of one resident.