ABSTRACT
The term public utilities refers to those business enterprises engaged in the delivery of essential (or utilitarian) services to the public. The provision of such services is considered essential to basic quality of life. In principle, public utilities like water, energy (gas & electric), and local telephone communication tend to be one-of-a-kind service providers in the communities or regions in which they operate. As such, they are subject to extensive local, state, or federal regulation in terms of the rates they charge and the kinds of services they provide.1
