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.
Port Republic is a small, rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland. It is approximately 5 miles south of Prince Frederick, Maryland, the county seat of Calvert County. While Port Republic is not incorporated and has no central business district, it nonetheless features several places of note, including historic Christ Episcopal Church and a restored one room school building. The annual Calvert County Jousting Tournament is held the last Saturday in August on the grounds of Christ Church, and was featured in a 2005 edition of ESPN'sSportsCenter's 50 States in 50 Days feature. Residential communities located in Port Republic include Governors' Run, Kenwood Beach, Scientists' Cliffs, and Western Shores. Port Republic has a post office with the designated zip code being 20676.