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.
Delbarton is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 474 at the 2000 census. Delbarton was incorporated September 6, 1946 by the Mingo County Circuit Court. The name Delbarton comes from the New Jersey country estate of one of the officials of the United Thacker Land Company. The town is located in the heart of the richest coal area of the state.