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.
Wynantskill is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 3,018 at the 2000 census. Wynantskill is located at the north town line and the northeast corner of the town of North Greenbush. The community is a suburb of Troy. NY Route 66 (Pawling Ave. in Troy, Main Ave. in Wynantskill) is the main route throughout the community. Wynantskill has a major grocery store, several banks, restaurants, convenience stores, a post office, and a bowling alley, with almost all houses located on side streets off Main Ave. Other major roads are Whiteview Road, a primarily residential road that leads to Route 4; and West Sand Lake Road.