Exhibit 5.1
                      Opinion of Stinson, Mag and Fizzell


 

                                 _______, 1998


Nationwide Electric, Inc.
1201 Walnut Street
Suite 1300
Kansas City, Missouri 64106

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of Nationwide 
Electric, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 333-57013) (the "Registration 
Statement") for the purposes of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, up to 5,000,000 shares (and up to an additional 750,000 shares to cover
Underwriters' overallotments) of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.01 per 
share (the "Shares") to be offered by the Company in an initial public offering 
(the "Offering").

          We have examined the Amended and Restated Certificate of 
Incorporation, the Bylaws of the Company, a currently in effect, minutes of the 
applicable meetings of the board of directors and stockholders of the Company, 
together with such other corporate records, certificates of public officials and
other documents as we have deemed relevant to this opinion.

          Based solely upon the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares to 
be issued in the Offering will, when sold, be legally issued, fully paid and 
nonassessable.


 
          We hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the heading 
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus which constitutes a part of such Registration 
Statement. We also consent to the inclusion of this opinion in the Registration 
Statement as an exhibit thereto.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            STINSON, MAG & FIZZELL, P.C.



                                            By: 
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