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.
Richardsville is a small unincorporated community in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Its location is isolated between the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers. It was the site of many of Virginia's gold mines in the early 1800's and the site of many troop movements and skirmishes during the Civil War.