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.
Springfield is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States and is a suburb of Washington, D.C. Within Springfield are three census-designated places (CDPs): Springfield CDP, West Springfield CDP, and North Springfield CDP, plus a substantial portion of Newington CDP. All are officially titled Springfield by the United States Postal Service. The Springfield CDP is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 30,417 as of the 2000 census.