45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT OUT-OF-STATE GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION COOPERATIVES PROVIDING ELECTRICITY FOR NEW MEXICO'S RURAL AREAS ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF NEW MEXICO'S RURAL POPULATION.

WHEREAS, outside New Mexico there exist cooperative nonprofit membership corporations organized pursuant to the Rural Electric Cooperative Act that generate and transmit electric power and energy that can be sold into New Mexico's rural areas; and

WHEREAS, out-of-state generation and transmission cooperatives are subject to only limited rate regulation by the public regulation commission, pursuant to Section 62-6-4 NMSA 1978; and

WHEREAS, rural communities in New Mexico that receive their power from an out-of-state generation and transmission cooperative were recently notified of an increase to electric rates by that generation and transmission cooperative, and that increase was not reviewable by the public regulation commission; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico's rural population is often very poor and unable to afford significant increases to an essential commodity such as electricity; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico's rural businesses are essential to the well-being of New Mexico's rural communities, and electric rate increases to those businesses can jeopardize their viability and ability to provide economic sustenance to the rural communities in which they reside;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public regulation commission be requested to ensure that any out-of-state generation and transmission cooperative providing electricity for New Mexico's rural areas ensure that the rates charged for that electricity are reasonable and affordable; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public regulation commission ensure that any out-of-state generation and transmission cooperative providing electricity for New Mexico's rural areas not take advantage of limited rate regulation in New Mexico to charge electric rates in the state that are unreasonable or unaffordable; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public regulation commission ensure that any out-of-state generation and transmission cooperative providing electricity for New Mexico's rural areas do all it can to not further increase rates, and likewise do all it can to decrease electric rates, in New Mexico's rural areas; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the public regulation commission.