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.
Hansford is an unincorporated community in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. Hansford is located along the Kanawha River and West Virginia Route 61 1 miles (2 km) southwest of Pratt. Hansford has a post office with ZIP code 25103.