Governor Lujan Grisham’s “Mini” Green New Deal Means Power Outages Possible This Summer

January 31, 2022

According to a new report, the state’s largest utility provider is warning of possible power outages in New Mexico this summer due to a lack of available electricity. The warnings are a result of Governor Lujan Grisham’s mismanagement of the state’s electric grid through the “mini” Green New Deal law she championed and passed in 2019.

Many warned that Lujan Grisham’s Energy Transition Act would lead to higher energy costs and the possibility of blackouts due to lack of reliable electricity, but those warnings were ignored. Now, providers are scrambling to find enough electricity to keep the lights on this summer as a key power plant is slated to close.

If there are power outages, Governor Lujan Grisham needs to ensure the Governor’s Residence, the Roundhouse, and non-essential state buildings are impacted first so fewer of our families are left in the dark. There is no doubt the Governor is solely responsible for this, and she needs a real plan to fix it now!

According to the report, one of the possible solutions for keeping power flowing in New Mexico is to continue the use of the San Juan Generating Station near Farmington. It’s no coincidence that New Mexico’s power concerns will begin just as the station is slated to close this summer. Shockingly, in September of 2020, Governor Lujan Grisham proudly told the US Climate Alliance, “I’d love to tell you that the plant is closed.” If the Governor’s wish had come true, it would have made the state’s current energy worries much worse.

There is also evidence that the Lujan Grisham Administration is hiding their intentions for San Juan Generating Station from the public. In response to an Inspection of Public Record Act (IPRA) request filed by Power The Future last September, the Governor’s office invoked executive privilege over emails discussing the power station. Keeping these emails private only ensures New Mexicans will remain in the dark.