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.
Hastings is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Barry County. The population was 7,095 at the 2000 census. The city borders Hastings Charter Township on the north, east, and south, though it is politically independent. It has been named "One of the best 100 small towns in America". Hastings is part of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area.