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.
Watford City is a city in McKenzie County, North Dakota in the United States. It is the county seat of McKenzie County. The population was 1,435 at the 2000 census. Watford City was founded in 1914. The local newspaper is the McKenzie County Farmer and Watford City is the location of the main offices for the First International Bank and Trust. It is also the headquarters for McKenzie Electric Cooperative.