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.
Shelton is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Washington, United States. Shelton is the western most city on the Puget Sound. The population was 8,442 at the 2000 census. In terms of population, the city is ranked 161 out of approximately 500 municipalities in Washington. Shelton has a unique form of government in the State of Washington, being the only city in the state which still retains the commission form of government.