A. A municipality may, if a satisfactory supply is not otherwise obtainable as determined, by ordinance, acquire and operate natural gas or geothermal energy facilities for the distribution of natural gas or heat.
B. A municipality owning and operating a gas utility shall measure the gas used by the person receiving the service by volume or energy content.
C. A municipality owning and operating a geothermal utility shall measure the heat used by the person receiving the service by fluid volume and temperature or energy content.
History: 1953 Comp., § 14-24-2, enacted by Laws 1965, ch. 300; 1985, ch. 81, § 3.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For charge for service becomes a lien against property served, see 3-23-6 NMSA 1978.
For municipal liens, see 3-36-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.
Customer credits permitted. — A city as owner of a natural gas system, in order to promote the use of natural gas and compete with other utilities, could give credits of $12.50 to $50.00 to customers if they installed a new gas water heater, changed to a gas water heater from another type of water heater or replaced the existing gas water heater with a new gas water heater. 1964 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 64-53.