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.
Kurten is a town located along U.S. Highway 190 in Brazos County, Texas. According to a 2008 U.S. census estimate, its population is 232. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. Kurten was incorporated in 2000.