Public utility

A public utility supplies essential services such as electricity, water, or gas, often through infrastructure that is costly to duplicate and under government regulation.

Natural monopoly: A market in which one supplier can serve demand at lower cost than multiple competing suppliers. Duplicating utility networks can waste resources, making a single provider economically efficient.
Electric utility: An organization that generates, transmits, or distributes electricity to customers. Electric power is a major utility service with distinct grid and reliability requirements.
Municipal utility: A utility owned and operated by a local government or its agency. It contrasts with investor-owned utilities while supplying similar services.
Energy poverty: A condition in which households cannot obtain adequate energy services at an affordable cost. Utility prices and service access can determine whether households meet basic energy needs.
Rate-of-return regulation: A regulatory method that sets prices to allow a firm a specified return on invested capital. Regulators have used it to limit utility prices while supporting investment in infrastructure.
Water utility: An organization that supplies drinking water or manages wastewater services. Water utilities operate local networks and protect public health through treatment and delivery.
Investor-owned utility: A privately owned utility whose investors hold equity in the company. Its profit-seeking ownership makes regulation central to balancing returns and public obligations.
Water privatization: The transfer of water-service ownership or operation from public authorities to private firms. It raises questions about control, investment, and accountability in water utilities.
Price-cap regulation: A regulatory method that limits the prices a firm may charge, often with periodic adjustments for inflation and productivity. It offers an alternative to rate-of-return rules for controlling utility prices.
Natural gas utility: An organization that distributes natural gas through pipelines to customers. Gas utilities provide another networked energy service, often alongside electricity.

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