New Mexico Statutes Chapter 62. Electric, Gas and Water Utilities § 62-1-4. Eminent domain; surveys; entry on property; crossing right-of-way of another corporation

A. Corporations organized pursuant to Section 62-1-1 NMSA 1978 are authorized to enter upon any property belonging to the state or to persons, firms or corporations for the purpose of making surveys and from time to time to appropriate so much of such property, not exceeding a strip one hundred feet wide in any one place, as may be necessary for their purpose. The corporations have the right of access to such property to construct and place their lines, pipes, poles, cables, conduits, towers, stations, fixtures, appliances and other structures and to repair them. If a corporation cannot agree with the owners as to a right-of-way or the compensation for a right-of-way, the corporation may proceed to obtain the right-of-way in the manner provided by law for condemnation of such property. Where it is necessary to cross the right-of-way of another corporation, the crossing shall be effected either by mutual agreement or in the manner now provided by law for the crossing of one railroad by another railroad; provided that the construction of any electric transmission lines crossing the right-of-way of a railroad shall comply with the minimum standards of the national electric safety code. When it is necessary for a corporation to construct any transmission line and associated facilities for the transmission of electrical power requiring a width for right-of-way of greater than one hundred feet, unless that width is agreed to by the parties, the applicant for the right-of-way shall apply to the New Mexico public utility commission as provided in Section 62-9-3.2 NMSA 1978 for a determination of the width necessary for the right-of-way for the transmission line.

B. For the purposes of this section, “corporation” means individuals, firms, partnerships, companies, municipalities, rural electric cooperatives organized under Laws 1937, Chapter 100 or the Rural Electric Cooperative Act, lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court.