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.
Portal is a city in Burke County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 131 at the 2000 census. Portal was founded in 1893. Portal sits near the Canadian border and is a major port of entry for road and rail traffic. North Portal, Saskatchewan is just over the border north of Portal. It is one of three 24-hour ports in North Dakota. The town is known for its "international" golf course. The ninth hole is partially in the United States and partially over the border in Canada.