SENATE BILL 248

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Elizabeth "Liz" Stefanics

AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTRIC UTILITIES; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ACT TO REQUIRE UTILITIES AND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN SOLAR PROJECTS PLANNED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OR STATE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND TO ACCEPT THE ENERGY GENERATED BY THOSE PROJECTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 62-16-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2004, Chapter 65, Section 7) is amended to read:

     "62-16-7. COMMISSION--ADDITIONAL POWERS AND DUTIES.--The commission:

          A. shall adopt rules regarding the renewable portfolio standard, including requiring utilities and electric cooperatives to participate in solar projects planned by local governments, political subdivisions or state post-secondary educational institutions and to accept the energy generated by those projects, and including a provision for public utility records and reports;

          B. may require that a public utility offer its retail customers a voluntary program for purchasing renewable energy that is in addition to energy provided by the public utility pursuant to the renewable portfolio standard, under rates and terms that are approved by the commission; and

          C. may exempt from compliance with the renewable portfolio standard a public utility that has an all- requirements electric supply contract on July 1, 2004, and the contract would not reasonably permit it to procure renewable energy for purposes of meeting the renewable portfolio standard. When the electricity supply contract is amended or renegotiated, the commission may require that a renewable portfolio standard become applicable."

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