[Lwvcnmtopics] NM PRC meeting Weds March 3

[George Richmond]

Meeting started @ 930 AM and I dropped off @ 130 PM, with a brief break 
when Comcast service dropped me off.  Did not miss too much.

Last March, the NM PRC lost its office space and just leased new space 
in downtown Santa Fe for 40 or so of its 130 staff.  State agencies like 
the Attorney General and Treasurer do have offices.

Given the fact that Hearing Examiners and General Counsel do have to 
work closely, working remotely makes the job harder.

At last week's meeting the problems of the week Feb 11-18 came up.  Bad 
weather produced a need for more natural gas use, both by gas utilities 
and electric who burn the gas to make electric power. Reserves were 
short so some TX gas providers charged 100X the usual price. The NM 
Attorney General is asking questions, possibly leading to a full 
investigation and charges.  However, the NM PRC will ask its utility, 
both gas and electric, about the impact of the higher prices and the 
future billing of consumers. Importantly, what steps the utilities will 
take to reduce future problems of high gas prices by getting better 
contracts/and/or vendors of gas.   NM Gas had built in some reserve 
capacity.  In 2011, there was a cold spell which resulted in NM Gas 
dropping service to some customers.

NM PRC is working with Sandia Labs to model the energy transition from 
fossil fuel to renewables.  As electric vehicles become more common, the 
issue of how/when these vehicles are recharged will be a totally new factor

Some data from the El Paso Electric presentation:

Currently natural gas is 66% of capacity and nuclear 29% with renewal 
5%.  In the next two years, that will change to 59%, 25% and 16%.  I 
have asked EPE for future plans for renewables as well as storage and 
battery capabilities.

EPE is very customer oriented and plans to provide alerts on high bills; 
also the company does work on economic development.  The Western Grid, 
of which EPE is a member, works to maintain reliability and a modern and 
well functioning grid.

The grid is a connecting system between utilities to supply power when 
there is a sudden demand which can not be met by that utility.  TX has a 
major problem which has political issues.  EPE is NOT part of the TX 
grid system

Chairman Fischmann has called for a review of Return on Equity which is 
a study of how much the utilities under regulation earned v. their 
allowed return (I think you all know the answer, but a study is needed 
to prove it!!)

George Richmond

WHAT THE NM PRC REGULATES....all in NM  and more than they should be doing:

*The PRC regulates (has jurisdiction over) consumer issues relating to:*

  * Transportation – billing issues for towing companies, ambulances,
    limousines, and taxis.

  * Transportation – intrastate motor carrier registration.

  * Pipeline safety – enforcement of state and federal regulations
    regarding oil and natural gas pipeline safety.

  * Utilities – natural gas, propane, investor-owned water and sewer,
    and electric companies and electric cooperatives.

  * Telecom – Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILECS) – this includes
    CenturyLink QC, Windstream, and other local phone companies,
    including regulations of rates, service quality, and billing issues.

  * Telecom – Intrastate long distance carriers, including resellers of
    long distance and calling cards – billing, but not rates or terms of
    service.

  * Telecom – Cellular Telephone Service providers (wireless) – No
    jurisdiction over rates, terms, or quality of service. The
    Commission does assist customers with wireless marketing and billing
    complaints.

  * Telecom –Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) – Includes
    companies that provide local service in competition with the ILECs.
    Jurisdiction over rates, quality of service, and billing, but
    generally lightly regulated by the Commission.

  * Telecom – unauthorized billing or switching of carriers (cramming
    and slamming).
  * Moving companies - intrastate (within the state) moves

  * State Fire Marshall – Administration of the Fire Training Academy,
    Fire Service Support, Arson Investigations, and Code Enforcement.

I think the Transportation, Pipeline and Fire Marshall could be in 
another agency.  Fire Marshall certainly could go to Public Safety, for 
example.


-- 
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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