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2019 North Dakota Century Code
Title 49 Public Utilities
Chapter 49-20 Electric Companies

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CHAPTER 49-20 ELECTRIC COMPANIES 49-20-01. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise clearly requires: 1. "Electrical supply lines" shall mean those electrical conductors and their necessary supporting and containing structures which are used for transmitting a supply of electrical energy. 2. "Operation" shall be construed and applied only in relation to the manner of operating the lines referred to so as to avoid or minimize the hazard of injury to persons or property and to avoid or mitigate interference with the service of signal lines. 3. "Signal lines" shall mean those lines for public or private signal or communication service and devoted exclusively to the transmission of signals or intelligence which operate at not more than four hundred volts to ground or seven hundred fifty volts between any two points of the circuit and the transmitted power of which does not exceed one hundred fifty watts. 49-20-02. Commission to regulate operation and maintenance of electrical lines. The commission shall regulate the construction, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance of all electrical supply lines and signal lines located in, under, or across the public highways or public places in this state, within and without the limits of incorporated cities, to the extent necessary to avoid or mitigate interference from electrical supply lines and for the purpose of avoiding or minimizing the hazard of injury to persons or property by reason of the close association or proximity of electrical supply lines to or with signal lines. 49-20-03. Applications - Specifications - Drawings - Prerequisites to construction. Prior to commencing the construction or reconstruction of any electrical supply line intended to carry: 1. A constant potential alternating current of over five thousand volts; 2. A constant current circuit exceeding seven and one-half amperes; or 3. A grounded trolley direct current of over seven hundred fifty volts, or prior to converting a line of another character to one of these, written application shall be made to the commission by the person desiring to construct or reconstruct, or convert said line. The application shall be accompanied by such drawings and specifications as shall show the route of the proposed line in detail and the method of construction and operation, and said application, drawings, or specifications also shall show the route and location relative to the proposed line of any other existing electrical supply or signal line over, across, or parallel with which the proposed line is to be constructed, together with the names of the owners thereof and such other preliminary information as the commission may require. 49-20-04. Hearing upon application - Time - Witnesses - Evidence. Upon receipt of the written application provided for in section 49-20-03, the commission shall set a date not later than thirty days from the date of the receipt of the application for a hearing upon the matter, and at least ten days before the date of said hearing shall notify in writing each of the parties affected or likely to be affected by the construction or reconstruction of said line. At such hearing, the commission shall swear witnesses, take evidence, and make such an investigation as shall determine all of the facts in the case. If the party desiring to build the line files its written consent to abide by the rules and regulations of the commission or the order issued in relation to the matter, then and in that case said party may proceed to construct such line. 49-20-05. Grant of application without hearing. Whenever the application provided for in section 49-20-03 is filed with the commission and it shall appear to its satisfaction that all of the interested parties have agreed in writing in regard Page No. 1 to the methods of construction, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed line, such application thereupon shall be granted without hearing. 49-20-06. Apportionment of costs. The commission shall apportion between the interested parties the costs or additional costs which may accrue from the adoption of plans, methods, or means in order to avoid, minimize, or mitigate interference or hazard. 49-20-07. Rules and regulations adopted by commission. Repealed by omission from this code. 49-20-08. Municipalities - Complaints - Hearings. Any municipality of the state shall have the right to file a complaint with the commission to enforce the provisions of this chapter. The commission shall hold a public hearing whenever any such municipality shall file written complaint and set forth facts which require action on the part of the commission in order to avoid or mitigate electrical interference from electrical supply lines or for the purpose of avoiding or minimizing the hazard of injury to persons or property by reason of the close association or proximity of signal lines with electrical supply lines. 49-20-09. Regulatory nature of measures - Penalty for violation. The provisions of sections 49-20-02 through 49-20-08 shall not be construed to affect, control, or change the franchise rights of persons, firms, corporations, or limited liability companies owning or operating electrical supply or signal lines in or upon the highways of this state and shall be construed only as regulatory measures intended to avoid or mitigate interference from electrical supply lines with signal lines and to avoid or minimize the hazard of injury to persons or property by reason of the close association or proximity of electrical supply lines to or with signal lines. Any person violating any of the provisions of said sections or any order made by the commission pursuant thereto shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than fifty dollars. 49-20-10. Commission may require extension of electric transmission lines. Whenever any city, or the inhabitants thereof within, or contiguous to, the territory served by an electric transmission line operated by a public utility subject to the jurisdiction of the commission shall desire to obtain the service furnished by such public utility, the proper authorities of such city, or fifteen percent of the inhabitants thereof, may petition the commission for the extension of such transmission line and service to, into, or through such municipality. The commission thereupon shall enter into an investigation concerning the practicability and reasonableness of such proposed extension and service and the public convenience and necessity to be subserved thereby, and if, after notice and hearing, the commission finds that such extension of line and service is practicable and can be made reasonably, taking into consideration the amount of revenue likely to be derived therefrom and the prospect for a reasonable return to the utility upon the value of such extension, and further finds that public convenience and necessity will be subserved thereby, and that the city or territory contiguous thereto is not already receiving electric service from another public utility or electric cooperative corporation, the commission, by its order, shall require the extension of such line and service by such public utility for the purpose of serving such municipality and the inhabitants thereof upon condition that a franchise for such operation be granted to such public utility by the proper authorities of such municipality, and upon such other terms and conditions as may be just and reasonable. A certified copy of such order, when filed with the auditor of such municipality, shall have the same force and effect as an application by the utility for a franchise. The commission shall fix just and reasonable rates for such service and such reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary pertaining thereto. Page No. 2 49-20-11. Appeals from orders of commission. Any municipality, public utility, or person affected by an order of the commission made under the provisions of this chapter may prosecute and conduct an appeal to the courts in the manner prescribed in chapter 28-32. 49-20-12. Injury to electric supply lines - Penalty. Repealed by S.L. 1975, ch. 106, § 673. 49-20-12.1. Notice of change in topography of lands under or adjacent to electric transmission or telecommunications lines. Before any change is made in the topography of lands under, or adjacent to, any electric transmission or telecommunications lines, which change would increase the hazard to travel, or to persons or property, the one proposing to make such change shall, except in the case of an emergency, at least ten days before proceeding therewith, notify the public utility or cooperative corporation operating such electric transmission or telecommunications lines. Such notification shall clearly state the nature and location of the proposed change in topography and shall be sent to such public utility or cooperative corporation at its principal place of business within the state by registered or certified mail. In case of an emergency, when ten days' notice cannot be given, notice shall be given, as herein provided, prior to proceeding with such change. 49-20-13. Electric current - Fraudulent use - Misdemeanor. Repealed by S.L. 1975, ch. 106, § 673. 49-20-14. Meter deposits to electric power companies. Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 514, § 2. 49-20-15. Liability of electric companies for inductive interference. No person owning or operating electric light and power facilities shall be liable, in the absence of negligent construction or operation of such electric light and power facilities, for inductive interference caused in communication circuits, and shall not, in the absence of negligent construction or operation of such electric light and power facilities, be required to bear any portion of the cost of avoiding, minimizing, or mitigating such inductive interference. The burden of proof of negligent construction or operation of such electric light and power facilities shall be upon the person complaining of the inductive interference. Page No. 3
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