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.
Regent is a city in Hettinger County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 211 at the 2000 census. Regent was founded in 1910. Regent's Centennial celebration is planned for July 2010. Regent is home to the "Enchanted Highway," a series of metal sculptures by artist Gary Greff. Greff and the town of Regent were featured on the "NBC Nightly News" on August 26, 2007. The Hettinger County Historical Society Museum is located in Regent. The Regent area is acclaimed for its pheasant hunting. The 1991-92 Regent Ranger Basketball team played Hettinger North Dakota in District playoff action. The score of the game ended up being Hettinger 4 Regent 2. This game made national news and the score of the game appeared on ESPN Sportscenter.