A public utility is an entity that provides the general public with essential goods and services such as electricity, natural gas, energy, water, sewer, heat, telecommunications (telephone, fiber optic or broadband internet), railroad, and rail transit.

Public utilities (goods and services) are often provided by a public utility corporation that is essentially given a monopoly over the provision of the good or service in a certain geographic area—and exemption from antitrust and unfair competition laws—in exchange for certain governmental restrictions and regulations. Public utility companies are often regulated by a governmental Public Utility Commission (PUC).

The laws and rules that govern public utilities are usually located in state or federal statutes—depending on whether the utility is regulated by the state or federal government. For example, many states have a public utilities code—sometimes called a public utility regulatory act—or provide for public utility corporations and their regulation in the state administrative code. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is one example of a PUC at the federal level.

In Kansas, public utilities are regulated entities that provide essential services such as electricity, gas, water, and telecommunications to the public. These utilities are typically granted a monopoly within a certain geographic area in exchange for agreeing to governmental oversight and regulation. The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) serves as the Public Utility Commission (PUC) in the state, overseeing and regulating public utilities to ensure fair rates and reliable services for consumers. The KCC's authority and the regulations that public utilities must adhere to are outlined in state statutes, such as the Kansas Statutes Annotated and the Kansas Administrative Regulations. These laws establish the framework for the operation, rate-setting, and service standards of public utilities. At the federal level, agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulate aspects of utility services that cross state lines or are otherwise under federal jurisdiction, such as interstate electricity transmission and natural gas pipelines.