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Today's meeting was noted for the PRC moving ahead on approving a right of way for solar storage which will add capacity before mi 2200 to help provide power during the peak summer season. While an improvement, PNM is expected to buy power on the open market next year, but now supply will NOT be as tight.
In other news, Avangrid announces it will form local listening
groups to hear from customers (see below)
In other news from the Rural Electric Co Op view, and the 20 Co Ops in NM provide service to around 200,000 New Mexicans or about 40% of the PNM client base.
Those who are familiar with Tri-State know that one of our goals
under our Responsible Energy Plan is the participation in a
western regional transmission organization (RTO). Tri-State is a
member of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) RTO, with our eastern
interconnected loads, and we participate in both the SPP and
California Independent System Operator (CAISO) energy imbalance
markets, resulting in 80% of our members’ loads being in an
organized market. Importantly, we are working with other
regional power providers to evaluate participation in a western
expansion of SPP's RTO. Participation in a western RTO will help
lower costs and increase reliability, and is a key component to
economically and reliably integrate high levels of renewable
resources and reduce emissions, as we transition our resource
portfolio.
Tri State is a wholesale power generator supplying power to electric Co Ops in the western area, CO and NM.
They have moved from coal to renewables before PNM.
The clean energy transition of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is in sharp focus these days, given the rapid pace of our transformation and the opportunities ahead for electricity consumers. I could not be prouder of our cooperative’s role in the transition, which is driven by and for La Plata Electric Association and 41 other member electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts.
We’ve steadily accelerated the implementation of our Responsible Energy Plan that we announced with Gov. Jared Polis in January 2020. Remarkably, 50% of the energy consumed in our cooperative family will be from renewable sources in less than three years, growing to 70% clean energy by 2030. With the first of eight new renewable energy projects online earlier this year, in April 2021, 37% of the electricity our members use was from renewable sources.
Our greenhouse gas emissions are decreasing fast, with our Colorado emissions set for an 80% reduction by 2030. These emissions reductions are driven by a massive increase in renewable sources and the retirement of our remaining Colorado coal-fired power plant units in Craig between 2025 and 2030. We retired our Nucla coal plant in Southwest Colorado in 2019, and our New Mexico coal plant in 2021. We are supporting our employees and their communities through this transition.
We’re focused on increasing the use of electric vehicles, more efficient heating and cooling solutions, and other electric technologies that let every consumer play a part in a cleaner, lower-cost energy system.
Our wholesale rates are decreasing, with a 2% reduction in March 2021, and another 2% decrease is less than a year away. As a result, some of our members are lowering their retail rates or increasing the return of capital credits. With a “green energy dividend” driven by nearly 3,000 megawatts of low-cost clean energy in development or identified in our 2020 electric resource plan, and by managing our costs, we are focused on being even more competitive and affordable.
The record winter storm in February saw some electric utilities short of power, and energy prices skyrocketed even for some distribution co-ops outside of the storm’s path that were served by other power suppliers. During that weather event, Tri-State had sufficient power for our members and protected consumers from rate increases. I am also thankful for our employees, including your neighbors across Southwest Colorado, who safely and tirelessly work to keep the lights on including during challenging events.
Our members now have the flexibility to self-supply even more of their power requirements. We recently completed our first self-supply “open season,” when our members identified their interest in self-supplying more power, and we are working through the regulatory process to implement this new option. Members can keep all of the benefits of Tri-State membership while also taking on more of the responsibility of securing of up to 50% of their power locally if they wish.
As a cooperative, we know the value of working together. Tri-State is focused on the cost savings and clean energy benefits that come from participation with other power suppliers in a regional transmission organization that will further increase our ability to economically and reliably integrate more wind and solar power. Already, 80% of Tri-State’s load is in some form of an organized power market.
Tri-State’s delivery of flexibility with cleaner and lower-cost power while ensuring reliability and energy security are part of what makes Tri-State membership a unique value in a changing and uncertain power market. We are proud of the member-driven changes that will serve you well for years to come.
A few months ago, I spoke with Socorro Co Op about providing Internet connections to their rural customers. They do not have the capital to run line from their poles. I fear this is true for most of the NM Co Ops as well, although Kit Carson which operates in the Taos area can do so.
The point is that providing internet service to most of rural New Mexico will require Federal funding.
George Richmond,
Your LWV CNM Observer to to the NM Public Regulation Commission
-- George M. Richmond 152 Juniper Hill Road, NE Albuquerque, NM 87122-1913 C: 505-280-2105 E: geomrich1@comcast.net