[Lwvcnmtopics] PRC meeting April 28

[George Richmond]

Community Solar Program:

NM Legislature passed legislation to establish a Community Solar Program 
for New Mexicans in apartments/rural areas/native Americans who want 
solar but may not have income/roof tops, etc. 20 states now allow it, 
with CO the first in 2011 (again NM is NOT on the cutting edge) so the 
PRC needs to establish rules/practices before 4.1.22. PRC is hiring a 
consultant to help them with the process.

Comment:  More solar or renewable power is great but all such projects 
must be connected to the Transmission systems or the Grid to make them 
work effectively.

Budget:

The PRC budget for the FY 22 year is just under $12 Million as the fire 
marshal function has been moved to the NM Dept of Homeland Security.


The Facebook facility in Los Lunas is expanding, again, so this business 
is doing well.

Comment:  it is a shame that more jobs are not there but server farms 
can "be harvested" with very few employees.


Last February, during the cold spell, the TX electric utilities were 
hard hit and some closed down.  As a consequence, the natural gas 
producers still operating played like pirates for a week by raising 
their gas prices 100X

NM Gas has applied for approval for surcharges over a 30 month period 
*to recover the $100 MILLION they spent to get gas and so NOT shut off 
customers*.  The first charge will show up very shortly//


Sorry to have missed last week, but I was recovering from a medical 
procedure I had on Tuesday morning.

George Richmond, Observer to the NM PRC.

-- 
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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