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.
Hico is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Hico is located at the junction of U.S. Route 19 and U.S. Route 60 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Fayetteville. Hico has a post office with ZIP code 25854.