[Lwvcnmtopics] April 7 NM PRC meeting

[George Richmond]

Nothing of significance.

Several PRC members are concerned that Electric/Gas utilities are not 
telling customers that those with income issues have the ability to not 
pay their bills for several more months.

I am personally pleased that some PRC commissioners want to make sure  
rate payers are not cut off without due notice and the chance to create 
payment plans if they have lost their job or have financial problems.

In other areas:

I have been in Contact with PNM, Eric Chavez in Corporate 
Communications,  and will share the email:

PNM believes strongly that Smart Meters provide consumers with choices 
on how they use energy and are a vital part of a smart gird; however, 
because we are still in the middle of a merger with Avangrid, we are 
still separate companies and aren’t able to comment on their plans for 
smart meters. Once the merger is complete, we hope to be able to give 
more information on that topic.

A*smart meter*is anelectronic 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics>device that records 
information such as consumption ofelectric energy 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_energy>, voltage levels, 
current, and power factor. Smart meterscommunicate the information 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telemetering>to the consumer for greater 
clarity of consumption behavior, andelectricity suppliers 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_utility>for system monitoring and 
customer billing. Smart meters typically record energy near real-time, 
and report regularly, short intervals throughout the day.^[7] 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_meter#cite_note-7> Smart meters 
enable two-way communication between the meter and the central system. 
Such an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) differs fromautomatic 
meter reading 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_meter_reading>(AMR) in that it 
enables two-way communication between the meter and the supplier. 
Communications from the meter to the network may be wireless, or via 
fixed wired connections such aspower line carrier (PLC) 
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-line_communication>. *INFO FROM 
WIKIPEDIA*

For batteries, we believe that they are an integral part of an 
environmentally friendly grid, but there must be other technologies and 
resources to achieve reliable, affordable green energy. Current battery 
technology is 4-6 hours. The recent events in Texas reminded us that we 
would need storage capabilities that can last 4-5 days, so while we are 
hopeful battery technology can get there, we must continue to look at 
all resources and technologies as we deal with the extreme weather 
events caused by climate change.

PNM fully supports customer-owned solar. There currently 23,572 
residential customers that are connected to their own solar. Together, 
these customers produce a total of 23.7MW of energy.

While excess power created by customer’s solar panels can be pushed back 
onto the grid, PNM does not rely on that for grid support. If excess 
power is generated, that customer will earn a credit or rollover on 
their bill.

 From 2019 to 2020 PNM saw a 17% increase of interconnections. PNM 
expects to see continued increase in interconnections due to the new tax 
credits that have recently passed and continued interest in rooftop solar.

FYI, I have roof top solar at my house.

While PNM serves the ABQ area and other urban parts of the state, with 
about 530, 000 clients, much of NM (80%) is rural and served by Electric 
Co Ops with around 210,000 customers.

Here is more on the Co Ops:

*The mission of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association
is to strengthen, support, unify, and represent Cooperative member
interests at the local, state, and national levels.*


Organized in 1944 and headquartered in Santa Fe, the New Mexico Rural 
Electric Cooperative Association (NMRECA) represents the interest of the 
state's electric cooperatives who are members of NMRECA and their 
members through actively working to protect cooperative interests before 
regulatory, political and governmental bodies as well as the general 
public; administering the New Mexico Rural Electric Self-Insurer’s Fund, 
a workers’ compensation fund owned by New Mexico’s rural electric 
cooperatives who are members of NMRECA; and coordinating specialized 
training for its members.

The New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association assists in 
arranging training programs for directors, managers and employees with 
outside agencies and consultants. NMRECA provides advocacy and general 
communications through newsletters, directories, websites, the annual 
Legislative Almanac, and its monthly magazine,/enchantment/, which give 
New Mexico’s electric cooperatives, who are members of NMRECA, a united 
forum
to communicate with their members.

THIS WEEK, I SPOKE WITH SOCORRO ELECTRIC COOP'S BOARD CHAIR AND GENERAL 
MANAGER AS WELL AS THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL LORNA WIGGINS

THEY ADDED SMART METERS AND WILL IMPLEMENT WHEN THE SOFTWARE IS IN PLACE 
THIS YEAR. SOCORRO IS A DISTRIBUTOR OF POWER WHICH THEY BUY FROM 
TRISTATE ELECTRIC. TRISTATE IS MOVING TO RENEWABLE POWER AND WILL BE 50% 
BY 2024 OR HIGHER THAN THE NM ETA GOALS.  NO TRISTATE ELECTRIC 
GENERATION IN NM IS COAL POWERED.



-

Have  a great week,


George Richmond
-
George M. Richmond
152 Juniper Hill Road, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87122-1913

C: 505-280-2105
E: geomrich1 at comcast.net



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