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.
Boyne Falls is a village in Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 370 at the 2000 census. The Boyne Falls post office first opened September 5, 1874. The village is located in Boyne Valley Township on the Boyne River, near the junction of the north and south branches. US 131 connects the city with US 31 at Petoskey, about 14 miles (23 km) to the north and M-32 about 7 miles (11 km) to the south (which connects with I-75 at Gaylord, 13 miles to the east). Boyne City is about 8 miles (13 km) to the northwest on M-75.