Governor establishes Energy Affordability and Grid Reliability Council – 13-member council designed to protect ratepayers, modernize the grid  – Office of the Governor – Michelle Lujan Grisham

SANTA FE — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham today signed an executive order establishing the New Mexico Energy Affordability and Grid Reliability Council to address the rising cost of electricity in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

The Council will convene state agency leaders, utility executives and experts in rural cooperative utilities, tribal energy, consumer advocacy, and energy policy and infrastructure to develop strategies for keeping energy affordable while ensuring the grid can meet the demands of a growing, modernizing New Mexico economy.

“At a time of dramatically rising energy prices, it’s imperative that we do everything we can to protect New Mexico ratepayers while ensuring abundant clean energy supply,” said Governor Lujan Grisham. “The experts I’ve appointed to the New Mexico Energy Affordability and Grid Reliability Council are well-positioned to make smart, insightful recommendations and I look forward to their findings.”

The Council will evaluate and recommend strategies across four interconnected areas:

• Ratepayer protection: Ensuring that large-load growth — including data centers and onshore manufacturing — does not disproportionately increase costs for residential, rural, tribal and small business customers.
• Grid modernization and reliability: Recommending rate designs and financing strategies that enable prudent infrastructure investment while minimizing long-term rate escalation.
• Clean energy progress: Advancing New Mexico’s net-zero goals under the Energy Transition Act by expanding zero-carbon generation and storage while maintaining affordable access.
• Permitting efficiency: Identifying opportunities to streamline and coordinate state and local permitting for electricity infrastructure — accelerating deployment of clean energy projects without compromising environmental review, tribal consultation, or regulatory safeguards.

The Council will deliver a final report — including legislative, regulatory and administrative recommendations — to the Governor and the Legislature by November 1, 2026.

The Council consists of 13 members representing state government, utilities, rural cooperatives, tribal communities and independent experts:

• Erin Taylor, acting secretary, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department
• Rob Black, secretary, Economic Development Department
• Cholla Khoury, chief of staff, Public Regulation Commission
• Lynn Mostoller, executive director, Renewable Energy Transmission Authority
• Sunalei Stewart, deputy commissioner for operations, State Land Office
• Don Tarry, president and CEO, TXNM Energy (PNM)
• Kelly A. Tomblin, president and CEO, El Paso Electric
• Zoe Lees, regional vice president, regulatory policy, Xcel Energy
• Vince Martinez, CEO, New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association
• Javier Bucobo, vice president of markets and regulatory affairs, Avangrid (grid infrastructure expert)
• Joseph Yar, attorney, Velarde & Yar (consumer/ratepayer advocate)
• Sandra Begay Keeto, retired, Sandia National Laboratories; member, Navajo Nation (tribal energy expert)
• Rep. Meredith Dixon, New Mexico House of Representatives, District 20 (energy policy expert)

The Council is administratively attached to the Department of Finance and Administration. Members will serve without compensation, other than per diem and mileage as permitted by law.

The executive order can be viewed here.