Tribes get advisory role in New Mexico utility regulation

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed a former state lawmaker and two power coverage specialists on Friday to a strong regulatory fee whose choices have direct financial and environmental penalties for the state’s utility clients.

Brian Moore, Patrick O’Connell and Gabriel Aguilera begin work Jan. 1 on the Public Regulation Fee below a voter-approved overhaul that modified the fee from a five-member elected physique to at least one appointed by the governor after a monthslong nominating course of.

The New Mexico Senate will verify the governor’s selections in the course of the upcoming legislative session.

“These appointees are skilled professionals who’ve the talents wanted to supervise an power transition that’s reasonably priced, efficient and equitable for each New Mexico neighborhood,” mentioned Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who’s embarking on her second time period following a hard-fought reelection bid.

A nominating committee had despatched Lujan Grisham an inventory of 9 finalists, most of whom have been from New Mexico’s most populated areas. That prompted criticism from some lawmakers and advocacy teams in regards to the lack of illustration for Native Individuals and northwestern New Mexico, the place one coal-fired energy plant and an adjoining mine have been not too long ago shuttered, taking with them lots of of jobs and tax income.

Looking for to deal with the considerations, Lujan Grisham signed an govt order Friday making a Tribal Advisory Council to offer enter to the fee. It will likely be made up of 1 consultant from the eight northern pueblos, one from the ten southern pueblos, one from the Apache tribes and one from the Navajo Nation.

Within the govt order, the governor encourages the PRC to satisfy with the advisory council regularly and seek the advice of with its management at fee conferences.

“It’s extraordinarily necessary that we guarantee tribal voices are heard on points earlier than the PRC, no matter who’s appointed to the fee now and into the longer term,” Lujan Grisham mentioned. She famous that regulators could have extra necessary choices to make because the state continues to implement the 2019 Power Transition Act.

The fee will play a task in guaranteeing new renewable power sources and battery storage initiatives being introduced on-line can meet buyer calls for as extra coal-fired crops shut within the coming years. In addition they can be tasked with retaining charges reasonably priced in a state the place many households are at or close to the poverty line.

The commissioners additionally should resolve a billion-dollar fee case involving New Mexico’s largest electrical supplier — Public Service Co. of New Mexico, and so they might must revisit a contested merger between PNM and Avangrid, a U.S. subsidiary of worldwide power big Iberdrola.

O’Connell, an engineer with greater than 20 years of expertise, beforehand labored for PNM because the utility’s director of planning and sources earlier than changing into the interim clear power director at Western Useful resource Advocates. His time period on the fee can be six years.

O’Connell has mentioned that he utilized to be a commissioner as a result of he thinks he can proceed to make a distinction within the battle towards local weather change whereas regulating important providers that New Mexicans use every single day.

Western Assets Advocates, the state legal professional normal’s workplace and others have been amongst those that supported the proposed PNM-Avangrid merger when it got here earlier than the fee in 2021. The businesses filed an enchantment with the New Mexico Supreme Courtroom after the elected commissioners determined the deal didn’t supply satisfactory protections for purchasers.

Moore, a Republican, represented a number of jap New Mexico counties throughout his time period as a state lawmaker and is now president and CEO of Ranch Market grocery store in Clayton. He beforehand served because the legislative staff chief for the New Mexico Affiliation of Counties and was on the Renewable Power Transmission Authority board.

Moore additionally was a member of Lujan Grisham’s Financial Restoration Council. His appointment will final two years.

A graduate of New Mexico State College, Aguilera has labored for the Federal Power Regulatory Fee since 2007. He most not too long ago served as a senior coverage advisor for FERC’s Workplace of Power Market Regulation. His appointment is for 4 years.