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.
Pomona is an unincorporated community in Howell County, Missouri, United States, midway between Willow Springs and West Plains. The community was founded in 1895 and it was named for Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit trees; this area was a major producer of apples. Several homes and a post office are located there.