https://pubs.naruc.org/pub/21475F72-1866-DAAC-99FB-1E3EE0593...
Examples that serve the public interest: charities, many non-profits
Other examples of private companies that are constrained against abusing their power (apart from the obvious other utilities like gas and water): automobile manufacturers did not add seatbelts and airbags out of the goodness of their hearts, nor did they voluntarily improve fuel efficiency. New York City landlords are prevented from raising rents on rent-controlled apartments, in spite of how much they would like to. Factories that would love to pollute our rivers and streams... the list goes on forever.
I don't really think public representatives or public interest organizations love us either. They just have a different set of "handcuffs" that hold them accountable to their stakeholders, whether that be an obligation to donors, electors, etc.
> automobile manufacturers did not add seatbelts and airbags out of the goodness of their hearts
... just as our representatives don't fight for political change until broad public sentiment changes first.
They are granted a monopoly by the elected government (and regulated by all that overhead). In return, they need to make sure they serve the constituency.
Depends on the utility, some of them are.
> the bureaucracy put in place by that government which supposedly serves the people.
It cuts both ways. There's obviously a problem with utility boards not listening to the voice of the people they represent but on the flip side these boards have been important brakes on utility companies going crazy with their prices.
No, they exist to serve the capital that owns them. If they get more profits by serving fewer customers and reducing quality of service, they'll do it. If it could operate at 0 profit but serve every customer with high quality service, it would not get done.
Are they owned by a democratically elected government? Do their profits return to the public purse? No? Then they don't exist to serve the people. They exist to serve their customers. As the public slowly switches to self-owned electric generation (i.e. rooftop solar + home batteries), the distinction between "the public" and "their customers" will increase.
It's an important distinction also because people need to remember that one of the reasons why it is difficult to on-line new generation is because of the bureaucracy put in place by that government which supposedly serves the people.