New Mexico Statutes

N.M. Stat. § 3-24-5 (2026)

Electric utility; eminent domain power.

✓ current as of May 2026

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Any municipality owning, operating or proposing to construct an electric utility has
the power of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring property for the use of the
electric utility according to the procedure for condemnation as provided by the Eminent
Domain Code [42A-1-1 to 42A-1-33 NMSA 1978].

History: 1953 Comp., § 14-23-5, enacted by Laws 1965, ch. 300; 1969, ch. 251, § 4;
1981, ch. 125, § 37.

                                       ANNOTATIONS
Cross references. — For eminent domain power of municipality, see 3-18-10 NMSA
1978.

Section not authority for condemning existing utility. — Condemning an existing
public utility and then using the condemned property in the exact same fashion does not
encompass construction of an electric utility; thus, the language of this section is
insufficient to allow a municipality to condemn an existing public electric utility. City of
Las Cruces v. El Paso Elec. Co., 904 F. Supp. 1238 (D.N.M. 1995).

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases, 1995–1998 · leading case: City of Las Cruces v. El Paso Elec. Co., 954 P.2d 72 (N.M. 1998).

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City of Las Cruces v. El Paso Elec. Co., 954 P.2d 72 (N.M. 1998). · cites it 2× “The three statutes were NMSA 1978, § 3-24-1(A) (1993, prior to 1997 amendment), NMSA 1978, § 3-24-5 (1981), and NMSA 1978, § 42A-3-1(A)(7) (1981, prior to 1997 amendment).”

City of Las Cruces v. El Paso Elec. Co., 904 F. Supp. 1238 (D.N.M. 1995). · cites it 2× “§ 3-24-5 (1995 Repl.Pamp.): Any municipality owning, operating or proposing to construct an electric utility has the power of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring property for the use of the electric utility according to the procedure for condemnation as provided by the…”

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