Some New Mexico residents say their electric bills surged to as much as $1,700 after PNM, the state's largest electric provider, stopped relying on actual meter readings for many accounts and began issuing estimated bills instead.
Those complaints have led New Mexico Public Regulation Commission staff to push for an official inquiry.
Here's what to know
According to Source NM, the commission's public-interest staff are seeking permission to open a formal investigation into PNM in response to widespread customer complaints about steep electric bills.
In a five-page filing, staff said the utility began estimating residential bills in July for customers in Alamogordo and Ruidoso because it lacked enough meter readers, then expanded the practice across New Mexico.
At that Alamogordo town hall in September, residents told regulators some monthly statements topped out at $1,700. Source NM said the New Mexico Department of Justice likewise reported complaints from people statewide who said bills far exceeded their usual $150 to $200 monthly costs.
"Though we completely understand staffing issues, an electric bill of over $1,000, when we have not had one over $200 in the last year, is absurd," a couple from Otero County wrote in a July letter cited by the outlet.
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Attorney General Raúl Torrez raised concerns in a Sept. 9 letter to Don Tarry, PNM's CEO and the CEO of its parent company. In the letter, Torrez said people across New Mexico had complained to the New Mexico Department of Justice about shockingly high PNM bills, according to Source NM.
One resident said a relative's bill rose from $150 to $766 in a single month.
What's being done?
If the commission signs off, the publication reported staff would investigate what caused the problem, determine whether PNM met its legal and regulatory obligations, and consider protections to prevent a similar situation in the future.
Staff said they would test meters in Alamogordo and Ruidoso, review PNM's billing data, and issue monthly updates before publishing a report on their findings and suggested next steps.
The company said it will cooperate with the review in a statement provided to Source NM, noting "PNM understands the concerns surrounding this summer's meter reading and billing issues."
"We welcome the opportunity to provide the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission with information about what occurred, how customers were affected and the actions PNM has taken in response," spokesperson Eric Chavez added.
"We cannot get any answers from PNM, even after asking to see usage patterns and asking about meter modifications," they wrote. "This is highly irregular, and we should not have to pay over a thousand dollars when PNM will not provide facts."
Where can I learn more?
Questions about PNM's billing practices connect to bigger fights over how utility decisions and regulatory oversight affect what customers end up paying.
• Across the country, utilities spent customer bill money on transmission projects critics say lacked oversight.
• Federal officials froze hundreds of energy projects even as utilities warned power demand was soaring.
• In Texas, regulators faced pressure after massive new power consumers strained the grid and bills.
• Arizona regulators weakened energy efficiency standards that had saved ratepayers billions on utility costs.
• Pennsylvania demanded utilities show they were fixing electricity vanishing on the grid before costs grew.
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