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.
Hertel is an unincorporated community located in Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States. Hertel is located on Wisconsin Highway 70 west of Spooner, in the town of La Follette. Hertel has a post office with ZIP code 54845.