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.
Pine Valley, Utah (37.39.108N 113.51.299W, elev. 6500 ft), is an unincorporated town in Washington County, Utah, United States that lies approximately 45 minutes north of the county seat, St. George. It is located at the head of the Santa Clara River in the Pine Valley Mountains, and was settled in 1859. Significant landmarks include the Pine Valley Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints designed by shipbuilder Ebenezer Bryce in 1868 using the scheme of an upside-down boat. Pine Valley Chapel is the oldest Mormon chapel in continuous use.