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.
Flat Rock is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. A very small portion of the city extends into Monroe County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,488. Flat Rock is home to the AutoAlliance International manufacturing plant, co-owned by Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation. As of 2005 it produces the Mazda 6 and the 5th generation Ford Mustang. Also, Flat Rock is home to the famous Flat Rock Speedway, though the track is technically located in Berlin Charter Township in neighboring Monroe County. Flat Rock is the birthplace of actor Dann Florek, best known for his roles in the TV series L.A. Law, and Law & Order.