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.
Oldfield is an unincorporated community in Christian County, Missouri. It is located about ten miles southeast of Ozark on Route 125. The community is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. Oldfield is home to the Oldfield Opry, a weekly country music show operated on a donations only basis. The show is held every Saturday night, and people come from miles around to listen to the classic country and western style music.