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.
Newcomb is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census. The Town of Newcomb is at the west border of the county and is southwest of Plattsburgh. The town is inside the Adirondack Park; it contains the Lake Harris State Campground. The town is the largest in area in Essex County.