New Mexico’s Largest Utility Wants Customers to Pay More Due to Covid-19 and Renewables

June 4, 2020

Common sense would have us believe that when we use less of a product, we should save money. However, the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is looking to charge New Mexicans more for less.

Their reason? Renewables and the Coronavirus.

We swear we’re not making it up.

PNM, the state’s largest electric utility, has filed a motion with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to be able to use a financial move called “decoupling.” The complex mechanism means PNM wants to be able to charge customers more even if they use less electricity. 

Their argument is that customers are using less electricity due to Coronavirus lockdowns and those who have installed solar panels on their home. PNM says they have to be able to recover the cost for the infrastructure that delivers the electricity, so they are asking permission to increase electric bills even if usage is down.

It’s hard to believe the complexity of the requests isn’t part of the design to hide PNM’s intentions.

PNM continues to be one of the biggest drivers in New Mexico for the green agenda. For well over a year they promised costs would go down as the state adopts a greener stance. Now, they want to raise more money from New Mexicans.

At a time when over 100,000 New Mexicans are out of work, the green agenda wants to reach into their pockets for more.