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.
Columbus is a city in Burke County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 151 at the 2000 census. Columbus was founded in 1906. Both this town and nearby Larson were named for an early postmaster that served the area (Columbus Larson).