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.
Stanton is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Missouri, United States. It lies on Interstate 44 at the junction with Missouri Supplemental Route W. Prior to Interstate 44, it was an important town on U.S. Route 66 due to the nearby Meramec Caverns very prominently advertised up and down the highway on barns. Several businesses are still located at this interchange, such as a Wedding Reception Hall, Toy Museum, Jesse James Wax Museum, Reptile Ranch, and a K.O.A. campground.