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.
Central is an unincorporated community in northwestern Washington County, Utah, United States, on the edge of the Dixie National Forest. It lies along State Route 18 north of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County. Its elevation is 5,253 feet (1,601 m), and it is located at about 37°25′19″N 113°37′34″W / 37.42194°N 113.62611°W / 37.42194; -113.62611 (37.4242842, -113.6260720). Although Central is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 84722. Central was established in 1918.