[Lwvcnmtopics] NM PRC meeting of September 15

[George Richmond]

The first item was a discussion of the Recommended Decision in the 
matter of Southwestern Public Service, which serves eastern NM, 
regarding its electrification plan.  In simpler terms, it involves how 
people with electric vehicles can recharge them. Particularly, can are 
all credit cards accepted?

Apparently there are several times of cards which are read with 
different kinds of readers.  SPS will be instructed to make sure all of 
its charging stations can read any type of card.  PNM and El Paso 
Electric will submit their plans for approval shortly.

At this time there are relatively few electric cars on the road, but 
sales of Electric Vehicles should increase sharply.

Interestingly, at a political meeting on Monday night, Peter Wirth, NM 
Senate Majority Leader, shared that he expects NM to be a major factor 
in generating renewable energy in the future because of its wind and 
sunny climate.  Avangrid, which is proposing to buy PNM, has an 
affiliate, Avangrid Renewable, which is an important factor in building 
and renewing renewable energy facilities.

At PRC meetings, an early item on the agenda are: Special Guests and 
Public Comment.  At today's meeting, there were three people who spoke 
(limited to three minutes) on the importance of having public recharging 
stations.

(For those of you who may wish to make public comments, the meeting 
agendas are easily found at the NM PRC web site although speakers must 
book time at least one day in advance.  If any one needs help, please 
email me so I can help you through the process.)

In other items, El Paso Electric is joining the Western Energy Imbalance 
Market, and in the future so will Avangrid (I guess they assume the 
merger will go through) and Southwestern Public Service.

The purpose of the Western Energy Imbalance Market, which is made up of 
all of the electric utilities in the western US is to provide the lowest 
cost electric power for those who wish to purchase power.  As the level 
of renewable electric power can vary depending on when and how strong 
the wind is blowing, new charges are recalculated every five minutes


George Richmond,

Observer

-- 
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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