Definitions for "Investor-owned utility"
A utility whose stock is usually publicly trade and whcih is organized as tax-paying business and financed by the sale of ecurities in the capital market. It is reulated and achieves anllowed rate of return.
An IOU is a form of electric utility owned by a group of investors. Shares of IOUs are traded on public stock markets.
Also known as private utilities, these for-profit corporations currently provide retail service to about 75% of the American population. The majority of private utilities are vertically integrated (participating in the power generation, transmission and distribution markets). Retail service is regulated by state public utility commissions.