Opinion No. 45-4827
December 11, 1945
TO: Robert L. Thompson, Engineer Electrical Administrative Board P. O. Box 386 Albuquerque, New Mexico
{*165} We are in receipt of your letter of November 13, 1945 in which you ask our opinion as to whether or not a company producing natural gas is exempt from the electricians' licensing law with respect to the electrical wiring of buildings or residences for employees of said firm, or for commercial use such as a hotel or camp ground, where the electrical energy is furnished by a generating system owned by such company.
The only applicable provision of our statute is Section 51-2201 (c) of the 1941 Compilation, which is, in part, as follows:
"The provisions of this act shall not apply to the installation of electrical wiring in mines, or on property used in connection with mines, railroad facilities and/or equipment, railway cars or to automotive electrical equipment,"
This exemption applies only to electrical wiring in mines or property used in connection with mines.
Even though production of natural gas be considered mining within the meaning of this exemption, it is my opinion that wiring in residences or buildings used for commercial purposes such as hotels and camp grounds, even though they be owned by a mine and be supplied from the private generating system of the mine, are not within the scope of such exemption. Such buildings do not appear to be property used in connection with mines, but instead are merely property owned by mines.
{*166} We sincerely regret that we have been necessarily delayed in answering your request.
By ROBERT W. WARD,
Asst. Atty. General