[Lwvcnmtopics] NM Public Regulation Commission meeting 2.10.21

[George Richmond]

I went on the Zoom call today....930 AM to about 1230 PM...no breaks.

The meeting agenda is provided at the web site and can be sent to any 
one who wishes.  On the call 40 to 60 people.

In the formal agenda, after the consent agenda, were items 16-00239 and 
20=00210 which dealt with PNM and specifically with coal generating 
plant abandonment.  The issue being who pays?? Ratepayers or PNM...or 
1/2 each.

The first case went back to 2016 and the other case from 2020, as the 
prefixes so indicate. Approval of the first case should not have taken 
so much time.

Currently the PRC has 13 open positions and is also looking for an 
increase in their budget of $2 Million.  However, as there are 23 bills 
in the legislature now that may affect the PRC,

getting the budget increase is of greater importance that taking a 
position, as the full PRC, on any bill. SB 155,ENERGY TRANSITION ACT 
CHANGES  is of great interest to the PRC as the bill might restore more 
of its power that was taken by Act.

Commissioner Fischmann, Chair, plans to speak for the bill, but only for 
himself, not the full commission.

Another key issue for the PRC is planning for its two year plan. As the 
staff, currently 126 employees, is overworked, a key provision of the 
two year plan is to review processes and make them more efficient.  
Also, where possible, use resources from,

say, the Department of Energy or a National Lab , Universities or other 
resources which may be low cost or free.  The PRC will hold workshops on 
their two year plan.

The issues of meeting records came up. Right now the meetings are 
recorded both sound and video.  Meeting minutes are written and 
summarize actions, but leave out the discussion of how the commissioners 
reach a decision, with the requirements fo the Open Records Act being 
the controlling factor.

I am not planning to attend the two different meetings on Two Year Plan 
and Actions on the bills in the Legislature.

Other Items:


  Report Calls for a Ground-Up Overhaul of Federal Transmission Grid Policy

Seven former FERC chairs and commissioners agree: The U.S. transmission 
grid needs to expand dramatically to meet clean energy goals.

Link to full article: 
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/making-the-case-for-a-ground-up-federal-transmission-grid-policy-overhaul?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Daily&utm_campaign=GTMDaily


George Richmond, LWV CNM, Observer to the New Mexico 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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