Any person, corporation, limited liability company, association, company, or partnership owning or holding under lease, or otherwise, any property in this state and operating the same for the purpose of furnishing electricity, heat, power, water, natural or artificial gas, or distributing the same for public use by means of transmission lines, gas or water pipelines, shall for the purposes of this chapter be held to be a light or power company, heating company, water company, or gas company.
SDCL 10-35-1