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.
Wilmer is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,393 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 3,576. It is part of the Dallas, Texas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area. Union Pacific's Dallas Intermodal Terminal is located partly in the city of Wilmer and partly in the city of Hutchins . The shipping facility, was built by AUI Contractors LP, Prime Rail Interests Inc. and Halff Associates, Inc. is a 70 million U.S. dollar project.