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.
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States, located east of Reno, Nevada. The population was 66,346 at the 2000 census. As of July 1, 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population has grown to 88,602. It is often referred to as half of a twin city.