<p>With energy consumption rising, many public <u>utilities</u> are struggling to meet peak-time demand.</p><div data-answer="d"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;"> In this sentence, we are talking about public services or organizations that provide essential services like electricity, water, and gas to the public. The word that fits in the blank is "utilities," which refers to these public services. </span><span style="font-size: 13.008px;">(D) "Utilities" is a noun that refers to the public services or organizations that provide essential services like electricity, water, and gas to the public. It fits perfectly in the sentence because it describes the entities that are struggling to meet peak-time demand due to rising energy consumption.</span></div><div data-answer="d"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;"><br></span></div><div data-answer="d"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;">(A) "Utilize" is a verb that means to make use of something. It does not fit in the sentence because we are not talking about using or making use of anything. </span></div><div data-answer="d"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;">(B) "Utilitarian" is an adjective that means practical or functional. It does not fit in the sentence because we are not describing the public services as practical or functional.</span></div><div data-answer="d"><span style="font-size: 13.008px;">(C) "Utilization" is a noun that means the act of using or making use of something. It does not fit in the sentence because we are not talking about the act of using something, but rather the organizations themselves. </span></div>