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.
Marlborough is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 36,255 at the 2000 census. It is home to Marlboro Airport. Spelling and pronunciation The name is sometimes spelled Marlboro, rather than Marlborough, which is the official spelling. The Boston accent tends to elide the first two syllables of 'Marlborough', producing the spoken name (by residents) 'MALL-bro', or 'MAh-bro'. 'MAR-Burrow' is the sort of compromise pronunciation by those relatively new to the area. It is usually pronounced 'Marl-burrow' by outsiders and people not familiar with the area.