(ALBUQUERQUE, NM) – Sunday, April 18, 2021, is National Lineman Appreciation Day, and energy companies across the United States will celebrate. The electricity that powers our lives is an essential part of the world we live in, and so 

are the employees who put their lives in potential danger every day to make sure we continue to have safe, reliable power in our homes and businesses.

This national holiday is a chance to recognize the diligence and specialized skills that it takes to be a lineman. PNM crews work 24/7/365, often in wind, rain, snow, and other inclement weather, which is part of what makes their job one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America. Linemen must work and train as an apprentice for around 8,000 hours before reaching journeyman lineman status. On average, they carry around 30-40 lbs. of equipment and tools on their body while working, and climb poles that average 40ft tall, but may work on structures 80-100ft tall. Every job they work is different, and their ability to analyze and troubleshoot on their feet is an extremely important part of their job.

“PNM linemen take pride in serving the communities in which they live, and many of them have personally built the miles of distribution and transmission lines, and electrical facilities that we all drive past every day,” said Jeff Nawman, director of Transmission and Distribution Operations with PNM. “They work hard to provide for their families, and they often spend a great deal of time away from them, including weekends, holidays, and late nights, as they rush out into potentially dangerous situations to ensure we all continue to receive the power that we rely on.”

PNM is encouraging customers to celebrate the holiday by inviting them and their families to draw, paint, or sketch a hand drawn thank you card to the linemen who work in our neighborhoods across New Mexico. The artwork can be of linemen at work or show how/why you appreciate them and the power they help provide to our communities, or even just a simple “thank you”. Once the artwork is completed, customers can snap a picture of it on their phone and upload the picture on PNM.com/ThankALineman. The artwork appears in real time on the website, which we will share with our crews and post on PNM social media pages. The website will be live through April 30, 2021.