New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI, Issue 5 / March 11, 2025

 

 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

DOCKET NO. 24-00157-UT

 

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (“Commission”) gives notice of its initiation of a formal rulemaking to promulgate amendments to the “Energy Efficiency” rule at Title 17, Chapter 7, Part 2 of the New Mexico Administrative Code.  A rule which may be adopted as the final rule by the Commission may include all, part, or none of the language in the proposed rule.

 

Summary and concise statement of proposed rule:  The objective of the proposed rule is to implement the Efficient Use of Energy Act’s requirements for public utilities to acquire cost-effective energy efficiency and load management resources, measures, and programs, and to establish criteria to evaluate and implement cost-effective energy efficiency and load management resources, measures, and programs that reduce energy demand and energy consumption.

 

Legal authority:  Sections 62-3-1, 62-8-6, and 62-17-1 to -11 NMSA 1978.

 

How a copy of the full text of the proposed rule may be obtained:  A copy of the full text of the proposed rule and instructions on how to access the complete rulemaking record, reports, and other items filed in the commission’s e-docket system may be obtained from the Rulemaking Proceedings section of the Commission’s website at https://www.prc.nm.gov/rulemaking-proceedings/ under Docket No. 24-00157-UT or by calling LaurieAnn Santillanes in the Office of General Counsel at (505) 670-4830.

 

How a person may comment on the proposed rule, where comments will be received, and when comments are due:

Written initial comments may be filed no later than May 16, 2025, written response comments may be filed no later than May 30, 2025.  Filed comments shall refer to Docket No. 24-00157-UT.  Comments may be electronically filed by sending them in PDF format to prc.records@prc.nm.gov. All written comments will be posted on the Commission’s e-Docket website within three days of their receipt by the Commission’s Records Management Bureau.

 

The record of this case closes on June 20, 2025. From that date through the completion of this proceeding, rulemaking participants shall be forbidden from communicating with the Commission or its representatives concerning substantive issues in this proceeding.

 

When and where a public rule hearing will be held and how a person may participate in the hearing:  A public hearing on the proposed rule and any proposed alternatives, to be presided over by the Commission or its designee, shall be held beginning at 10:00 a.m. on May 22, 2025, at the Commission’s offices located at 142 W. Palace, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505, and via the Zoom video-conferencing platform.

 

Any interested person who wishes to make a comment at the hearing may contact Patrick Rodriguez via email at public.comment@prc.nm.gov or by phone at (505) 490-7910 as soon as possible before the start of the hearing to sign up as a commenter to sign up as a commenter.  The Commission shall email a Zoom invitation to all commenters.  The Zoom invitation shall include a call-in number for those commenters who are unable to access Zoom’s video-conferencing platform.  The public comment hearing shall be held to receive oral comments.  All commenters may be limited in time to speak, subject to the discretion of the Commission or its designee.  The Commission or its designee may also determine that a spokesperson should be designated to speak on behalf of an organization, a group, or a group of individuals that shares the same message or seeks the same goals, in order to maximize the efficiency of the public hearing.  No testimony or other evidence shall be taken at the hearing as this is a rulemaking proceeding.  The subject of public comments shall be relevant to matters within the Commission’s jurisdiction.  A court reporter shall prepare a transcript of the hearing for filing in this docket.

 

Any person with a disability requiring special assistance to participate in the hearing should contact the Office of Director of Administrative Services of the Commission at (505) 827-8019 as soon as possible prior to the commencement of the hearing.

 

Technical information that served as a basis for the proposed rule and how the information can be obtained:   N/A.