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.
Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States. With a population of 1,930 according to United States Census 2000 figures, it is the most populated community in Garrett County. The town is also the county seat of Garrett County and is located within the Pittsburgh DMA. Oakland is situated only miles from the source of the Potomac River, which flows directly into the Chesapeake Bay. It is also near the Wisp Resort at Deep Creek Lake, a major ski resort for many Marylanders and other visitors. The Autumn Glory Festival, a fall festival that attracts a great number of tourists, takes place in Oakland every October.