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.
Hummelstown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,360 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Fredrickstown was the original village of present-day Hummelstown; it was established in 1762. The town is currently 247 years old. The borough's current mayor is Bradley Miller. Hummelstown is a Tree City;. Hummelstown is in District 15 of the Pennsylvania Senate. Hummelstown is centrally located between both Harrisburg and Hershey; making it a common tourist drive-through, stopping point, or resting area. With numerous businesses, shops, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and bars designed to capitalize on the amount of tourist travel through the small town. Coming into Hummelstown from Hershey, you can take Main Street through Hummelstown straight onto U.S. 322 which will lead directly into Harrisburg - making it a one-road town for many travelers looking to get from Hershey to Harrisburg.