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.
Mount Jewett is a borough in McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,070 at the 2000 census. The students of the borough attend school in the Kane Area School District, even though the borough is surrounded by Hamlin Township--belonging to neighboring Smethport Area School District. Currently a legal battle is occurring between the Kane Area School Board and The Mount Jewett Charter School Coalition to open a new charter school due to the recent closing of Mount Jewett's elementary school.