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.
Shoals is a town in Center and Halbert townships, Martin County, Indiana, United States. The population was 807 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Martin County. Home of rodeo champ Roger Atkison Shoals is best known for the Jug Rock, the USA's largest free-standing table rock formation East of the Mississippi River. The Shoals Catfish Festival is held annually on the July 4th holiday weekend.