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 Nebraska, public utilities are regulated entities that provide essential services such as electricity, natural 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 regulation of these utilities is primarily the responsibility of the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC), which ensures that the services provided are safe, reliable, and offered at fair rates. The PSC also handles consumer complaints and oversees the infrastructure development of utilities. While the Nebraska Public Service Commission regulates most public utilities at the state level, some aspects, particularly those related to interstate commerce or federal lands, may fall under the jurisdiction of federal agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). State statutes and administrative codes, such as the Nebraska Revised Statutes and the Nebraska Administrative Code, contain the specific laws and rules governing public utilities in Nebraska.